The La Mancha Stratagem
by LANIKI
Summary: Sheldon Cooper chose to follow Don Quixote's plan for his life, including only loving pure and chaste from afar. That is, until a beautiful blonde woman moved in across the hall and changed everything. Including his life.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello, Big Bang fans! I have written several fan fiction stories, but this is my first Big Bang story, as I have only recently discovered the show. But thanks to TBS and You Tube, I've seen most of the episodes so far. Hopefully this effort will be worthy of the show.**

**The first few chapters hold to canon, as I set up the story, so bear with me if I am retelling what has happened on the show. It will branch off into my own story.**

**And to my House fans, don't despair. I haven't abandoned our favorite doctor, I just needed to write this one. I'd love to do a crossover because I think it would be so much fun to get House and Sheldon into the same room!**

Chapter 1

_When I was nine years old and in high school, I was only interested in studying science and mathematics. History was acceptable, but only barely. However, the school – and my mother – insisted that I study the humanities as well. I protested, of course, but to no avail._

_Most of the books they forced me to read were useless. Oh yes, classic literature and well written, I suppose, but they had no meaning to my life. Really, the social mores of 19__th__ century England? What did that have to do with me? _

_I kept this viewpoint until I was given Miguel de Cervantes classic, __El Ingenioso Hidalgo Don Quijote de la Mancha__ or, in English, The Ingenius Gentleman Don Quixote de la Mancha. (I would have liked to read it in its original Spanish, but alas, my knowledge of that language was and is lacking. Something I must correct…)_

_Finally, I found a book that spoke to me. True, I was not a delusional nobleman fighting windmills in Spain. But I was in the midst of tilting at my own personal windmills – 20__th__ century Texas, a hard-drinking father and bible thumping mother – these were things with which I could identify._

_The knight errant of the book was the subject of much derision by those he encountered and was often at the receiving hand of violence doled out by the bullies of his time. This was something I knew all too well._

_I re-read the book many times throughout college and decided to adopt the hero's ideals. I would dream the "impossible dream" of obtaining a Nobel Prize. I would fight the unbeatable foes that were my family and acquaintances in my hometown. I would bear the abuse of my classmates. I would do all of this for the goal of bringing knowledge and advancement to the world._

_And, most of all, I would love pure and chaste from afar. _

_I have always believed that by keeping love and emotion on a higher plane and out of my everyday life, I would be better able to concentrate on the important work that I was doing. My friends and acquaintances believe that I neither have the ability nor the inclination to love anyone. But they would be wrong._

_I have a great depth of love and emotion inside of me. But I realized early on in my life that if I gave free realm to those feelings, they would overcome everything else in my life. That was why Don Quixote's pledge was much more practical for me. By loving only pure and chaste from afar, I would allow my feelings to survive without destroying everything else._

_The only problem was that there was never a woman worthy of that sort of love. So I kept control of my life, while holding that pure and perfect love inside me for the woman who would be worthy of it. And when I did find her, I would never reveal my love. I would never sully her by expressing it carnally. I would be as Don Quixote de La Mancha and love from afar. But love I would._

_(from the personal journal of Dr. Sheldon Cooper, PhD)_

* * *

Penny had learned a long time ago to treat everyone kindly. Oh she had gone through the phase in high school of being popular and thinking she was better than the other girls, but when someone tried to get the better of her by putting her down, she realized how wrong that was. From then on she decided to accept everyone as they were and be friendly to all.

So when she moved into her new apartment in Pasadena, she was happy to greet her neighbors. She could tell at first glance that they were a bit geeky, and even briefly thought they were lovers. She was wrong on that count, but not on the geek part. Still, when they invited her for lunch, she readily went and was truly impressed when she saw how smart they were.

Of course, both of them could use major makeovers, but she didn't see that as her call. The short one, Leonard, was trying so hard to impress her. She just knew he was the I-need-love type. At that moment, she wasn't interested in providing it. She'd just come out of a relationship and she needed some freedom.

The tall one, Sheldon, was another story. He was just as awkward, but he was also very sure of himself in his awkwardness. And he had the most amazing blue eyes. But when she asked him to sit beside her, giving him her sweetest smile, he was not interested.

And then when he cleaned her apartment while she slept , she was ready to write the pair of them off as weirdos. But then she realized that they needed acceptance as much as anyone. From then on, she did just that. She accepted them. As her neighbors, companions and, eventually, friends.

As time passed, the guys lost a little of their awkwardness. Not too much, which was good, since she thought they were sweet the way they were. And she also changed, learning to experience a different world and using her brain instead of always her looks.

Still, even though Sheldon annoyed her to hell most of the time, she found sparring with him to be extremely stimulating. And it was hard to be hurt by the things he said, since she knew that he only said what he saw as the truth. He was practically incapable of lying.

And since he spoke the truth, she was forced to examine herself. And she found where she could improve. Which she had.

The difference between Leonard and Sheldon was very basic: everything Leonard did and said to her was to impress her. Nothing Sheldon did or said to her was to impress her.

She knew from the beginning that Leonard was hoping to hook up with her. Men had been acting that way around her since she was fourteen. She recognized the signs. Even though Leonard was more awkward than the other guys, the signs were the same. She also knew he really cared about her, but he was enamored by her at first sight. The same as the other guys.

Sheldon, on the other hand, was not impressed by her at all. At least he didn't seem to be. She smiled at him, complimented him on his white board and invited him to sit beside her. While he seemed flattered that she liked his board, otherwise, he was immune to the charms that were obvious to other men.

As time went on, Leonard tried harder to impress her. They did eventually hook up and she enjoyed their time together and even regretted breaking up with him the way she did. But she knew there was something missing in their relationship. She was happy to retain him as a friend, but also happy the affair was over.

As the same time passed with Sheldon, they became friends. He never treated her as a sex object, since sex wasn't an object to him. He was as brutally honest with her as he was with everyone else, but coming from him it made sense. She knew that he came to appreciate and respect her as a person, not just as a pretty girl. That was unbelievably liberating to her.

She didn't have to dress up around him. He never cared what she was wearing anyway. She didn't have to flirt to get her way. Flirting never worked with him. Logic or blackmail were the only things that did. She didn't have to play the "girl" card to get him to listen. He paid attention to what she said mostly because he wanted to be able to refute it. But he would consider her words and, if they made sense to him, he would follow her advice.

And no matter how annoying he could be, he could also be incredibly sweet.

He was an unusual man. A strange mixture: The sad, spoiled little boy; the brilliant scientist; the OCD nut; and the sexy man.

Yes, she said sexy. Not that she'd ever want to explore that, nor would he apparently. But she'd always liked tall men, though usually more muscular than Sheldon Cooper. Still, recently, he'd bulked up a little bit and he looked even better than before.

And those eyes? Well, women would certainly melt under those eyes. At least until he opened his mouth. Then all bets were off.

Penny realized it was stupid to ask Leonard to retrieve her television from her ex-boyfriend almost the moment he and Sheldon left. Who does that? Meet a guy and use him to do something she should have done herself.

She was just in that place where she did not want to deal with Kurt. But one thing she knew: Leonard and Sheldon had showed her that their characters were better than her ex by a million fold.

Especially Sheldon. She could tell that Leonard liked her – he sent out the signals from almost the instant they met. But Sheldon was not in that category. Still, he'd accompanied Leonard. She assumed it was due to friendship and that said a lot about the man.

When they returned – sans TV and trousers – she felt awful and tried to bolster their lost dignity by taking everyone out to dinner, Which strongly affected her budget, but she knew it was the right thing to do.

At the sushi bar, she thanked them again.

"Thank you guys so much for doing that. And I am so sorry! He's such a jerk. I really don't know what I was thinking."

"That's okay," Leonard said. "It was no big deal."

"No," Sheldon countered. "It was a big deal. We faced a very large man on a futile quest for a piece of electronics. We lost our pants in the process – pants, may I add, that my mother bought me – and were forced to travel home in an embarrassing manner."

Penny looked like she would cry. "I really am sorry."

"While that is a noble sentiment, Penny, it does not recover our clothing, does it?"

"I'm buying dinner," she added in a small voice.

"Sheldon!" Leonard chastised him. "Be nice. Penny didn't know he would do that."

Sheldon looked at the blonde girl and sighed. He knew he would have to now put up with this girl for Leonard's sake, as tedious as that would be.

"Very well. I forgive you," he said in a tired voice.

She smiled and her face lit up. "Thank you, Sheldon. I promise I won't do anything like that again."

"Oh, I predict that you will do many things like that in the months to come and I shall have to endure it."

* * *

**As a promise to readers: I never leave a story unfinished. So if you start this one, you won't be left hanging. Remember, reviews are like chocolate to a woman with PMS! And I'd love to know what all of you Big Bang fans think.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Lots of people reading this! I'm so grateful and especially for everyone who left a review. The first few chapters are a bit repetitive from the show (with my own touches added in), but I need to set it up, so please bear with me.**

Chapter 2

_I am aware of what modern society deems attractive. Although that is cyclical and I could present a history of society's standards of beauty, I will refrain at the moment to make a point here. _

_When I first encountered Penny, I knew that she fit society's view of beauty. I understood why Leonard, who always fell prey to cultural prejudices, would be entranced by her. That he thought he had a chance with a woman such as her was the ludicrous part of that equation._

_But I digress. For my part, I knew that she was a "beautiful woman" or, to put it colloquially, "a fox". However, neither those terms, nor those standards meant anything to me. That sort of beauty is fine for the common man, but I believed myself to be more evolved than that. A woman must be more than just aesthetically pleasing. She must possess the higher functions that would raise her above the norm. _

_Despite what my friends thought, I assumed that at some point in the future, I would choose a woman with whom to mate. It is my duty to procreate and hopefully produce offspring that will possess my intelligence and help the world._

_Bearing that in mind, I always assumed that when I mated, it would be with a woman of high intelligence. Although I hoped she might also be aesthetically pleasing, that would never be my first concern and would actually be inconsequential to the situation._

_As that type of woman was my goal, I did not wish to waste my time with those that did not fit that model. One more reason to recuse myself from the mating game. And at the first meeting , and even subsequent meetings with our new neighbor, Penny, did not lead me to believe I had met that specimen._

_Consider the facts:_

_She was a waitress at a chain restaurant._

_She was virtually uneducated, having just barely graduated high school and dropped out of _community college_!_

_She was laboring under the supposition that she would be a success as an actress, despite over four years of failure._

_Astrology – need I say more?_

_She had an entirely unhealthy interest in shoes._

_She continued to date men that were below par and still expected to find one that would be worthy of her time and effort._

_I could go on, but what would be the point? Suffice it to say that she did not seem to be worthy of my efforts. Still, for Leonard's sake, I agreed to be civil to her._

_I had known beautiful (by society's standard) women. My own sister Missy is one, especially if I am to believe the actions of my friends when she came to visit. There were others in school or work with me. For the most part they ignored me. That was preferable to the alternative. Those that sought to humiliate the young genius and raise their own social status by lowering another's. But that is a tale for another day. Suffice it to say, I have never been favorably impressed by beautiful women. Nor, it seems, they by me._

_So, building on that hypothesis, I did not anticipate that Penny would choose to spend any amount of time with Leonard and myself, let alone Howard and Raj._

_I have discovered, through careful observation over the years that the amount of time women wish to spend with my friends and myself decreases exponentially as their beauty increases. Therefore, based on that hypothesis, Penny should have had little or no interest in spending time with us, free food and WIFI notwithstanding._

_Since this theorem was proved wrong, as Penny began to spend an inordinate amount of time with us, I was forced to conclude that Penny was an anomaly among beautiful women. _

_She was nice._

_Nice enough to accept four geeky scientists as her friends. And I am including Howard Wolowitz in that group. Nice enough to play video games with them, watch movies in which she has no interest and pretend she understands and isn't bored when they discuss science (or video games or sci fi movies)._

_That was most certainly an anomaly._

_(from the personal journal of Dr. Sheldon Cooper, PhD)_

* * *

Before she moved to 2311 Los Robles, Penny's life had consisted of late nights drinking with her friends or partying with Kurt. Four years with that man hadn't improved her life at all. Kurt's idea of a stimulating evening was a football game and beer. While she liked football, she would have liked the occasional romantic dinner or walk on the beach. Not with Kurt.

She knew that the only reason he was with her was that she was pretty. And she knew that if she lost her looks someday, he'd be gone. He didn't see her as anything more than that.

She didn't know why she invited Kurt to her Halloween party, but on the day after, he stopped by to talk to her and questioned her relationship with Leonard and Sheldon.

"What the hell are you doing with those weirdos?" he asked her.

"They're nice. And they're my friends."

"You don't even understand anything they're saying."

"Yes I do! Well, some of it anyway."

"Babe, you need to remember, no one is ever going to notice you for your brain. It's that hot body and hot mouth that gets you what you want. The blonde hair doesn't hurt either."

"That's all you ever thought of me, isn't it? Just a body for sex? Not anyone you had to respect and care about."

"Come on, babe, there's nothing wrong with being a dumb blonde. Guys take care of you that way."

Her eyes narrowed in anger. "I am not a dumb blonde. And the fact that you think I am shows just how right I was to leave you."

"You think that now, but when you're alone for awhile with only the nerds for company, you'll be running back to me. I might even throw you a bone, if you know what I mean." he leered.

"Get the hell out of here and don't ever come back!"

He shrugged. "No problem, babe. You know where I am when you want me."

He swaggered out of her apartment, leaving her shaking with rage.

She was angry and upset and wanted someone to talk to. She walked across the hall and knocked on the door of 4A. A few seconds later, Sheldon opened the door.

"Hello, Penny."

She wasn't sure what to do or why she was even there. "Hi, Sheldon. Is, um. Leonard here?"

"No, he is not at home."

"Oh." She didn't know Sheldon very well at that point. Was he the person she wanted to talk to about her love life?

"Are you busy?" she asked him.

"I am doing some work on my computer. Is there some assistance you require?"

She'd never known anyone who spoke as formally as he did. She knew she should probably just go home. It was doubtful that Sheldon could help her.

Then she had an idea.

"Sheldon, remember when we went grocery shopping and you noticed the new Putt-Putt?"

"Of course I remember it, Penny. I remember everything."

"Do you want to go?"

"To Putt-Putt?"

"Yeah, it'll be fun."

His blue eyes suddenly lit up in a way that was unbelievably adorable. "I would love to go to Putt Putt."

He ran into the apartment, turned off his computer and grabbed his jacket and was back in front of her in seconds.

That hadn't been her idea for the day, but how bad could it be? Maybe it would take her mind off her crappy love life. She laughed. "Okay, let me get a sweatshirt."

It was actually fun. Sheldon was so serious when he lined up his shot, you would have thought he was competing in the Masters instead of using an orange ball and shooting it through a windmill.

She couldn't remember the last time she'd laughed that much.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

_I am a solitary man. I have spent much of my life in solitude. As it does not distress me to be alone, I do not actively seek the company of others. _

_My previous roommates, before Leonard, were only that: roommates. They occupied the second bedroom, paid their share of the bills and abided by the roommate contract. Until they no longer did or did not wish to, then they left. It was never important to me who was living there, as long as they passed the test and abided by the contract. They were never my friends. I did not have friends, nor did I require any._

_Leonard, however, is most desirous of friendship. Although his mother is quite brilliant and an exemplary scientist, I believe she did not possess the qualities necessary to nurture someone like Leonard. Her book, Needy Baby, Greedy Baby, quite accurately describes him, but he is a slave to his emotions (unlike me)._

_He brought Howard and Raj into our apartment and for some reason included me in their activities. In the process, we have become friends – a concept that was previously foreign to me. It has been suggested that this action was precipitated by my pulling Leonard off the elevator before his experiment exploded, but I don't believe that. My actions were quite ordinary. I knew there would be an explosion and that if Leonard was in proximity to it, he would cease to exist. As I both value human life and was not desirous of interviewing yet another roommate candidate, it was to my benefit to make sure he did not perish as a result of his ill-advised action._

_For whatever reason, Leonard became my friend, often being referred to as my best friend, and Howard and Raj also joined the ranks of friendship. Despite the times that they have belittled or betrayed me, I still accept them as such._

_That being said, I must state that I do not feel the need to be in constant communication with them. Leonard and I go to work together, I eat lunch on most days with all of them and we spend most of our evenings together as well. _

_But there are times when they are otherwise occupied with their own activities – mostly attempting to convince women to participate in coitus with them. Or in other activities that I do not find enjoyable. At those times, I am quite content to be left to my own devices, and, indeed, find it preferable to useless chatter._

_Until Penny._

_She has, on more than one occasion, invaded my private moments with her minor problems and interests. In the past, if someone interrupted me, I would be extremely annoyed and put out. Many have cowered under my stern looks and sharp words._

_But whenever Penny has done this, I have been accepting of her and have listened to her babble on about her problems. Many times I have offered my assistance, which she has accepted. And by the end of the encounter, I have not been annoyed, as I have been at other times. I have, instead, felt great satisfaction in being able to assist her._

_(from the personal journal of Dr. Sheldon Cooper, PhD)_

* * *

Over the next few weeks, Penny and Sheldon found many instances to be together. As annoying as he could be, she found him sweet as well.

When he got sick and Leonard – the rat bastard! – snuck out, she was the one who made him soup and took care of him, even singing his mom's song, _Soft Kitty_, to him.

Meeting his sister, Missy was a revelation to Penny. She didn't know what she expected his sister to be like, but the tall, lovely woman that she rescued from the guys was certainly not it

After putting her brother in his place about who she should date, Missy sat in Penny's apartment with glasses of wine and talked easily.

"So tell me what Sheldon was like as a child!" Penny asked.

"Not all that different from what he's like right now." Missy said sardonically.

Penny laughed. "Yeah, I guess I can see that."

"Are you really friends with him and the other guys?"

"I guess I am. Believe me, it surprises the hell out of me too. But they're not so bad once you get to know them."

"If you say so."

"You know of course, that all of those guys are trying to figure out how to ask you out."

Missy nodded. "I know. I'm trying to be nice to them for Sheldon's sake. This is the first time he's actually had friends."

"Really? The first time?"

"Yeah. He never had any growing up. Well, he'd be different in any place, but where we grew up, he was REALLY different. It was hard for him and I guess I didn't help much. I was a typical kid, wanted to fit in. I shoulda stood up for him more, but…"

"Hey, we can't control what we did when we were young and stupid."

"Shelly would say I'm still stupid. I know I could never be smart like him, but I'm real proud that he is. And I'm happy that he finally has friends. They might be a little strange, but then so is Shelly. Still, if you're his friend too, it might not be so bad."

Penny stopped and thought for a minute. "Yeah, I guess I am his friend. He's annoying and frustrating, but he's also kinda sweet."

"Well, then thank you for being his friend. Lord knows he needs one normal one."

After that, she and Sheldon shared many important moments. On one particularly bad evening, he introduced her to on line gaming and she wasted a week of her life before she came to her senses. But despite being incredibly put out by her constant questions, Sheldon put up with her during her Age of Conan days.

It was only when she dared to touch his food that he lost patience with her and banned her from the apartment which of course led to all-out war between them.

She sort of felt as though she cheated by calling his mother, but for some reason she seemed to gain respect in his eyes by doing that. He now saw her as a worthy opponent.

* * *

_One of the things I most enjoy is a lively exchange of ideas between equals, be it an intellectual discussion or a basic argument. The discussion stimulates the brain, while a good argument stimulates the blood. _

_There are few people in this world who can stimulate me in either discussion or argument, especially as there are few with my IQ. I have initiated discussions with Leonard to exercise my brain, but due to the limits of his intelligence, there was very little exercise involved. Similarly, arguments with him or Howard or Raj are hardly stimulating, as I am easily the winner in those confrontations. When one knows how the contest will be resolved, there is no challenge._

_But there is one person who can argue with me and I am never positive of the result: Penny. Arguments with her are the most stimulating events I have ever experienced. And while I know that the intellectual discussion is above her, she is a master at the basic argument. She is also most attractive when she is angry and trying to get the best of me._

_Not that I consider that a factor in my enjoyment of the event. It is simply a footnote to the situation._

_(from the personal journal of Dr. Sheldon Cooper, Phd)_

* * *

Then she gave him that napkin for Christmas and got something from him that she never expected – a hug from Sheldon Cooper.

And he became her partner and support in whatever she needed, which she never would have expected. He lent her money when she was in distress and didn't care when she returned it. Probably the smartest man in the world sat beside her, singing rhythmic work songs and gluing together hair accessories when she wanted start a new career.

She found out about his grandmother calling him Moonpie and he didn't freak out. Well, not too much.

And when he was locked out of his apartment, he stayed with her and it wasn't too weird.

She knew he wasn't happy when she was dating Leonard, but he was better than she'd thought he'd be. And she hated how sad he got when they fought.

Most important, he went way outside his comfort zone when she slipped in the shower. He was forced to touch her and she was naked at the time (he even peeked!). He was forced to drive a car and to sit in a hospital waiting room. Not to mention putting her to bed and dealing with her request to sing _Soft_ _Kitty_ in a round.

When she and Leonard broke up, he tried to make everyone happy and still stay friends with her. It wasn't easy for him, but somehow they all came through it and remained friends.

She'd never in her life had a friend like Sheldon. One who annoyed to the point that she wanted to tear her hair out (or his!), but also was willing to do things for her that he did for no one else. No matter what else happened, she did not want to lose his friendship.

**A/N: Okay, I am so excited! I just ordered my tickets to see Jim Parsons in Harvey on Broadway this summer! I'm hoping to meet him and get some pictures.**

**Anyway, thanks to everyone who's been making this story a favorite and putting it on alert. It's really gratifying. I'd love to hear from you too. Since I'm still a newbie in the Big Bang world, I really need to know if I'm getting it right.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Once again, thanks for all the alerts and all the hits (I read my story stats!). If you review, I will respond to you and I will be very grateful.**

Chapter 4

_Gifts, in my opinion, are a futile attempt to court favor with little chance of true success. Throughout my life, no one was able to surprise me with a gift that I truly desired. Oh, I have, at times, requested specific items and they were given to me, but while I was pleased to receive those things, there was no surprise. _

_I know that social convention dictates that one must obtain gifts for significant individuals in one's life. However, I find it to be a frustrating endeavor. Am I to read someone's mind to determine what the other person desires? And when someone presents me with a gift that means nothing to me, I am forced to lie and pretend that I really wanted the useless item._

_I don't like lying._

_Furthermore, my salary is sufficient to the point that I can purchase anything I desire without waiting for others to give them to me._

_Therefore, I was dismayed that first Christmas when Penny informed me that she was presenting me with a Christmas gift. Up to this point, I had accepted Penny's presence in our lives and although I chastised her for her many faults, I felt that she was a worthwhile addition to our circle._

_Therefore, I did not want our new friendship to be stressed by the need to exchange gifts. Knowing her fondness for shoes and other fripperies, I was very wary of what was contained in the package she held. Should it be a scarf or – heaven forbid – a tie! I would be hard-pressed to pretend appreciation._

_However, I felt I was prepared after my trip to the mall and the purchase of a variety of gift baskets. I would at least be able to reciprocate properly._

_But Penny accomplished what no one previously in my life had ever been able. _

_She surprised me with a gift that I actually treasured and would not have been able to obtain for myself. I found myself unable to properly express my gratitude to her. I have never been in that position before. Since I knew her to be a tactile person, hugging her seemed appropriate, despite my own reluctance to bring anyone that close to my body._

_Hugging her was more gratifying than I thought it would be. It was not something I was ready to do again too quickly, but it was interesting. And the idea of hugging Penny was not as abhorrent as it might have been._

_(from the personal journal of Dr. Sheldon Cooper, PhD)_

* * *

When Sheldon met Amy Farah Fowler, Penny was happy for him. She hoped that he would finally warm up and experience the normal emotions that people did.

Of course, she forgot that it was Sheldon Cooper.

Still, there was a connection between them, albeit an unusual one. Amy was pretty much a female Sheldon. They had a lot of things in common once they resolved the differences over their scientific fields of study. It wasn't the sort of relationship that Penny wanted with a guy, but it took all sorts to make a world.

The side bonus to this strange relationship was that Penny gained a new best friend. She still didn't understand how that happened. One day she was accompanying them on an uncomfortable dinner date and that next she was Amy's "bestie".

It certainly confused Penny. "Amy, I'm flattered, but you haven't known me that long. Won't your other friends be upset that you've made me your 'best' friend?"

Amy looked at her with an awkward smile for a few moments before saying, "That won't be a problem."

"Are you sure? I wouldn't want anyone else to be upset."

Amy just shook her head, seeming for the first time since Penny had known her, to be reluctant to speak. It was then that Penny realized that Amy didn't have any other friends.

She smiled at Amy, "I am really honored that you've chosen me as your best friend." She hugged her, being careful to break the contact quickly before Amy got too weird.

Penny often wondered about Amy's strange affection for her, but as she learned about her lonely childhood – and adulthood, for that matter – it became clearer. She'd never had any close friends in school or anywhere else. And someone like Penny, who was always one of the most popular girls in her school, to be her friend was unbelievable to Amy.

She had what was most certainly a 'girl crush' on her. Penny prayed that was as far as it went.

And Amy was Sheldon's girlfriend, so Penny assumed that she had a healthy interest in men. Then again, she was SHELDON's girlfriend. Possibly she had an unhealthy interest in men.

Because that was the strangest male/female relationship Penny had even seen. It actually made more sense when Sheldon said Amy was not his girlfriend. Friends she understood. But once they took that step in their relationship, Penny assumed it would change, become more physical or something.

The only change that she could see was the occasional 'date' night, which was not that different from other nights, except that Sheldon and Amy were alone. As far as she knew, there was nothing physical between them at all.

Penny asked Amy about it, "So, Amy, anything going on with Sheldon?"

"To what are you referring?"

"Are you guys sleeping together?"

"If you are referring to sexual intercourse, the answer is no. If you are referring to actual sleeping, I did one time fall asleep while we were watching Star Trek: the Motion Picture, as I found it tedious. But as he remained awake, we were then not sleeping together, so I would have to say, no, we are not sleeping together."

"Okay, well, are you kissing?"

"I kissed him, once, but our relationship agreement does not cover kissing. We are allowed a cuddle once a month."

Penny just stared at her. She could not believe that two adults in a relationship would not want to have sex or any sort of physical component. She decided to question Sheldon about it as well.

"Sheldon, you and Amy – nothing? No sex, no kissing, nothing?"

"Penny, I am not comfortable in discussing the manifestations of my relationship with Amy."

"Well, according to her, there are no manifestations.'

He glowered at her.

"Come on, Sheldon, we're friends. If you don't want to talk about Amy, you can at least tell me if you've ever done it."

"Done 'it'? Are you referring to coitus?"

"Of course I am! Though in my world we call it sex, but yeah, has your Mr. Spock come out to play?"

He looked confused. "My Spock doll is a collectors' item, and while it is not in the package, I try to take very good care of it."

Penny held back a laugh, since she knew they were talking about two different things, but since he didn't…

"Sorry, Sheldon, I wasn't talking about the doll, I was talking about you. Have you ever had sex with a woman? Or a man for that matter?"

He sighed, "First of all, Penny, I am heterosexual. And, although your question is personal and you should refrain from asking it, I will nevertheless answer truthfully. Yes, I have."

"Really? When? Who was she?"

"I answered your first question; I feel no need to answer any others. This conversation has come to an end."

**A/N: Want to know about Sheldon's prior sexual expereince? It will come up again, so you'll have to keep reading. Thanks!**


	5. Chapter 5

**I know that everyone was thrown for a loop at the ending of the last chapter. Sorry about that! You're not going to find out about that for a little while yet. But at least this chapter moves further into my own story and away from reiterating the events of the show. Enjoy! (And review!)**

Chapter 5

_Meeting Amy Farah Fowler was certainly unexpected, but while not a welcome addition at first, I eventually found her to be a stimulating companion. We shared so many thoughts, other than her misplaced belief that her field of study was superior to mine._

_As if ANY scientific field was superior to Physics. HA. All one needs to consider is…but I digress. This journal is not a scientific text, it is a chronicle of my personal life._

_At any rate, once Amy and I had agreed to disagree concerning the question of Physics vs Biology (as if there is a question!), we were able form a satisfying relationship based on intellect and respect._

_I strongly considered that Amy might be the appropriate future mate and bearer of my progeny. She was sensible and intelligent and put little stock in romantic feelings. She would be an acceptable mate._

_Those considerations precipitated my decision to designate Amy as my girlfriend. She was beginning to seek associations with those that were unworthy of her, such as Zach and Stuart. This was unacceptable for my future mate. Once she signed the Relationship Agreement as my girlfriend, I no longer had to be concerned about unwise choices on her part._

_The added component to our association was that she came into contact with Penny and somehow the two women became friends. It was not a relationship I would have predicted, but I will admit to a lack of knowledge when it comes to the complexities of human relationships._

_It was in this friendship that I began to see the subtle difference between Amy Farah Fowler and myself. Amy had grown up as an only child with a mother who, while concerned for her daughter, was not especially affectionate. I, of course, had been plagued with siblings and an overly doting mother. While I knew the tedium of human affection, Amy was a stranger to it and therefore craving it._

_Her exposure to Penny only exasperated that need._

_(from the personal journal of Dr. Sheldon Cooper, PhD)_

* * *

It was on a night when Penny was particularly tired from work that Sheldon helped her to change her life. She wearily trudged up the stairs, wanting only to shower and crawl into bed. But as she reached the fourth floor, she suddenly wanted to vent to someone about her crappy day. So she knocked on the door to 4A, calling out, "Hi, it's me. Anybody home?"

A few seconds later, the door opened and her tall friend with the amazing blue eyes stood there.

"Good evening, Penny. Thank you for knocking." Sheldon said.

"Sure. Hey, if you guys aren't busy, can I come in and veg out for a bit?"

" 'Veg out'? Are you having an agricultural evening?"

"No," she was too tired to deal with that. "Look, I had a rough day and I just wanted to sit with friends and unwind."

"Oh. Well, in that case, please come in. Would this 'rough' day require a hot beverage?"

"No. I just want to be with friends for a bit." She walked in and flopped on the sofa, being careful to not sit in Sheldon's spot.

Sheldon sat beside her and waited. She saw that his physics journal was open on the table.

"Did I interrupt you? I'm sorry."

"Not a problem. I can finish reading it later. Social protocol requires that I assist a friend when necessary."

"Where's everyone else?"

"They made alternate plans that I did not wish to participate in."

"Oh, that's too bad."

"Penny, I am more than comfortable in spending the evening alone and in my own company. Now, please state your problem."

She sighed, "I just don't know how much longer I can do this."

"Do what precisely? As there are many ill-advised situations in your life, it would be extremely time-consuming to try to ascertain to which one you are referring."

"Actually, it's everything. I'm so tired of everything. I'm tired of working at the Cheesecake Factory. Of just being a waitress. I'm tired of waiting for an acting job that isn't coming. I'm tired of never having enough money. I'm tired of never finding a guy that I can fall in love with. I'm just so tired. Maybe I should just pack up and move back to Nebraska."

Sheldon tried to avoid staring at her when she said that. He stood up and walked towards his whiteboard. He turned back to her and said, "You know, Penny, Albert Einstein said, that to do the same thing over and over and expect a different result, is the definition of insanity."

"You think I'm crazy?"

"I didn't say that. But I think that you cannot continue the same actions that I have seen since we first met and expect anything to change. As long as you continue to work at the Cheesecake Factory, you will continue to be a waitress and will continue to experience 'rough' days. As long as you wait for acting jobs that never come, you will continue to be frustrated. As long as your only source of income is that unsatisfactory job and your desire to possess multiple pairs of shoes in every imaginable height and color, you will continue to have no money. As long as you date men that have no substance and no plans for the future, you will not find one to love and who will truly love you. Returning to Nebraska will not change this, as statistics show that, once there, you would most probably obtain a position in the service industry and continue to see the same type of men."

She stared at him. She wanted to argue with him about it, but she knew he was right.

"What should I do, Sheldon? How can I change things?"

"I can't tell you that. You have to look at your life and make your own decisions."

She thought about that. "Okay. Okay, thanks. I guess I should think some about what I want to do with my life. Thanks, Sheldon."

She rose and left the apartment. Sheldon stood in the same place for several seconds after she left, staring at the door. Then he returned to the sofa and picked up his magazine.


	6. Chapter 6

**So many more reviews and alerts! I am honored. Thanks to purlwise for pointing out that it should either be Dr. Sheldon Cooper or Sheldon Cooper PhD. That makes perfect sense, but I never thought about it before. Going forward it will be correct. I really appreciate everyone's input. **

**A note about Sheldon's character: At some point, he may seem a little OOC. I think, in a story such as this, he would have to be. On the show he is hilarious, but a little farcical. To make a satisfying story with real emotion and drama, I had to tone him down a little. Hopefully, you won't find it too OOC and can still see the guiy we love.**

Chapter 6

_I am an honest man. It is not due to an adherence to some socially or religiously commanded morality. I am simply physically unable to lie. My friends have accused me of being mean. I never intend to be mean. I truly cannot believe that telling the truth is mean. If it's the truth, how can it hurt you? Even if you lie to not hurt someone, eventually the truth will come out and that person will not only still be hurt by it, but will now no longer trust you because you lied. Is it worth it?_

_My feelings are not hurt if someone tells me the truth about myself. I always listen to what is said, examine my behavior and, if I agree with the assessment, make the necessary changes. I am always striving to be a better person. I feel that everyone should do the same, so why shouldn't they be happy to hear the truth about themselves._

_My friends may still think that I am mean, but they can always be assured that I am not lying to them._

_There were moments that forced me either through situation or the insistence of others, to speak untruthfully. I complied in the spirit of camaraderie, but I was never comfortable doing it._

_I know that Penny often believed that the things I said to her were meant to be hurtful, but that was never my intention. I told her the truth always to help her to strive to be a better person._

_The odd thing is that, even though Penny did not have my same compunction to be truthful at all times, the things that she said to me actually caused me to be a better person. I tried to hypothesize why this happened, but I could not come up with an answer._

_(from the personal journal of Sheldon Cooper, PhD)_

* * *

It was almost a week before Sheldon saw Penny again. When she came back to the apartment, he and Leonard were just sitting down to watch a _Star Trek: The Next Generation_ marathon.

She burst into their apartment, full of energy and smiles. "Oh, good, you're both here. I have something to tell you."

"What?" Leonard asked. Sheldon was silent, fearing that she had made the decision to return to Nebraska.

"I've made a decision." She said and Sheldon's blood ran cold. "I'm going to school!"

"School?" Sheldon asked, truly confused.

"Yeah, well, I remember what you said about it being crazy to do the same stuff and think different stuff is gonna happen."

"Paraphrased, but essentially correct."

"Yeah, well, I went to the community college – yes, I know, it's only community college. But they have a career counseling center there and I was able to talk to someone and she helped me figure out what else I can do with my life besides wait tables. And it turns out, they have an Associate's degree program for Fashion Merchandising. It'll take me about two years, but then I can get a job as a buyer for a department store or even with a design house. So I could get paid to buy clothes! Or even shoes!"

"That sounds great!" Leonard said.

"Of course, it's going to take two years, maybe less if I go in summer too. And I'll have to work extra to pay for it. And spend lots of time studying, because I'm not the best student anyway. But I think I can do this and maybe have a real career someday!"

Leonard said more sweet and encouraging things, but she barely heard him. She was looking at Sheldon, waiting to hear what he had to say about it. But he was silent, staring at the floor, not her.

"I know it's not serious stuff like you guys do, but I could never do that. This is something I think I'll like. And I know community college is sort of lame, but I can't afford anything more and it will get me the degree I need."

Sheldon still didn't speak.

"Sheldon, what do you think? Do you think I'm crazy for trying this? Or too stupid to actually do it?"

He looked at her then. "Improving oneself through education is never crazy. It's an admirable pursuit. And you are not stupid, Penny. You have the capacity to learn should you apply yourself to the task."

"But it's not important stuff like you do."

"No, it isn't. But not everyone is capable of doing what I do. In fact, other than me, almost no one is. To compare yourself to me and my work is a foolish notion. You don't have a scientific mind. But the career that you are choosing seems fully compatible to your interests and abilities. I know that you are already an accomplished shopper and you seem to know what is, as the modern vernacular says, 'in'. I have no doubts that this is a proper career path for you."

"But what if I can't do the work? There's a lot of math and I've never been good at it."

"Then you will ask for my assistance."

"You'll tutor me? Are you good at math?" At his derisive expression, she added, "Of course, you are, what am I saying?'

"I will be available to tutor you at any time you need my assistance."

"Thank you, Sheldon. That'll be a big help."

"Hey, let's all go out to lunch to celebrate." Leonard said.

"Sorry, I have to watch my money now, if I'm going to pay for school. I'm barely covering my current bills."

"It's my treat, to celebrate your big news." He told her.

"Well, okay, I guess. Let me go and get changed. I'll meet you back here in twenty minutes."

"Okay." Leonard said.

She left, but Sheldon stood in the same place, a pensive look on his face. Without saying a word to Leonard, he walked out and across the hall. After the obligatory three knocks and "Penny" repeated three times, she opened the door and let him in.

"Sheldon, I told you I will only be twenty minutes."

"Penny, what will happen if you find yourself unable to meet your obligations financially while you are attending school?"

"I don't know. I'm probably going to have to get a student loan. Even though community college isn't very expensive, it's still gonna cut into my budget."

He was silent, considering and she could tell that there was something happening in that beautiful mind.

"What's going on, Sheldon?"

"I shall pay the tuition for you." Sheldon stated.

"What? Are you crazy?"

"No, I'm not, my…"

"Yeah, your mother had you tested. Well, obviously not lately. Sweetie, I can't ask you to pay my tuition."

"You didn't ask me. I told you."

"Sheldon, it wouldn't be right."

"Why not?" He was clearly confused.

"Well, it's a lot of money."

"No, it's not. It's community college."

"It's a lot of money to me."

"But not to me. Which is why I intend to pay it."

"Sheldon, why would you want to do that?"

His blue eyes were intense as he said, "I am impressed by your intentions to improve your station. I want to do anything necessary to make sure you succeed."

"But Sheldon, I don't know when I could repay you. I mean, I could work extra on my summer break, but I was hoping to take extra courses to finish faster, or—"

"I don't need you to pay me back."

"What?"

"Is your hearing impaired? I said you don't need to pay me back."

"You're just giving me that money?" She was incredulous.

"No, I am not giving **you** the money. I am paying your tuition. If I gave you the money, you would buy shoes. I am giving it to the college."

She stared at him, trying to make sure he was serious. But his face was earnest. She remembered when he'd lent her money that time. It wasn't weird for him at all. It was just what he did. She knew she should refuse. But somehow she felt that she would hurt him more by doing that. He never said anything he didn't mean nor did anything he didn't want to do. He really wanted to do this.

"If you're really sure…"

"I am always sure."

She smiled. "Okay, I'll let you pay my tuition. Thank you, Sheldon."

"You're welcome." He started to leave, then turned back. "Please give me the bill as soon as possible and I will send them a check." And with that he returned to his apartment.


	7. Chapter 7

**More alerts and reviews have been coming and I am truly honored! Especially as I am the newbie in this fandom.**

Chapter 7

_I had an unexpected feeling of…satisfaction? Pleasure? I'm not entirely sure, as I've never felt anything similar to it for something that was not my accomplishment. But when Penny told Leonard and myself that she had enrolled in college and would be working towards an associate's degree, it was a very special moment for me. Pride? But it was not my accomplishment, why should I be proud?_

_Still, Penny was excited to tell us this news and I was excited as well. And when she repeated the quote by Albert Einstein, I truly felt as though I did have something to do with her decision._

_I did not want Penny to think that paying her tuition was an act of kindness on my part. It was what a knight did for his lady. That she wished to improve her station was enough. There was no reason for her to suffer in order to do it. She would not be able to handle the rigors of college life if she was forced to work full time and I was aware that her finances were already stretched to their limits. By paying the tuition, I allowed her the freedom to work a few less hours and have time for her studies._

_And also have time for me. I enjoyed the time that we spent together, playing video games or watching movies. We had also begun a twice monthly excursion to Putt-Putt. Between school and work, she would have little time for any of that. I could well afford the community college fees. If I believed she would allow me, I would have paid her rent as well. In that way, she could decrease her work at the Cheesecake Factory to only Tuesday evening. She had to continue to work there to serve my dinner, but other than that it was not necessary._

_(from the personal journal of Sheldon Cooper, PhD)_

* * *

Penny started school the following week. It was exciting, but harder than she'd thought. She was suddenly thrown back to those high school days when she had to worry about homework and studying and being on time for class. More than once she wondered why, at this point in her life, she would choose to do this again. But then she thought of her failed acting career and her dead end job at the Cheesecake Factory and knew she had to do it.

And when that didn't work, she thought of Sheldon's earnest face as he handed her the check for her tuition.

He believed in her and was willing to do whatever she needed to help her to succeed. She knew that even though she was doing this for herself, she also couldn't disappoint him.

Still, as she sat in her apartment, trying to do the math homework, she was hard pressed to keep it going. She'd never been good at math and she hadn't gotten any better in the years since high school.

She remembered that Sheldon had offered to help her. So she picked up her book and papers and crossed the hall to 4A.

She knocked timidly. She didn't want to just walk in this time. She needed his help, it was better not to piss Sheldon off.

When the door opened, Sheldon stood there. "Hello, Penny."

She knew he didn't like when you beat around the bush, so she just told him, "Sheldon, remember you offered to help me with my classes if I needed it?"

"Of course I do. I remember everything."

"Well, I need your help. I have to do this math homework and I just don't get it. Can you help me?"

"Of course." He led her into the apartment.

"Am I interrupting anything?"

"I was playing World of Warcraft, but I will delay my game."

"Where's Leonard?"

"He has begun a relationship with a young woman from the Anthropology department. They are on a date, which, after observing Leonard's excited demeanor as he departed and his advice to me to 'not wait up for him', I can assume that he is anticipating coitus with the woman. Though why he would think I would wait up for him, I have no idea. It would serve no purpose to me and—"

"Sheldon, focus. Can you help me?"

"Oh, yes, of course." They sat on the sofa and he looked at what she had to do. He could have completed the entire assignment in a few seconds, but it was important for Penny to learn this.

He handed the assignment back to her a minute after looking at it and said, "Alright, I know the answers, now we must make sure you can figure them out."

"Wait, you know the answers already? You looked at it for like a second!"

"Penny." He told her in a condescending tone. "Do you really think that a community college mathematics assignment would be beyond my capability?"

"No, of course not." Actually, she should have realized that. And Sheldon wasn't being conceited. He really was probably the smartest man alive and he knew it. To him it was just stating a fact.

"Alright, let's get started."

They worked for an hour. Sheldon was, of course, Sheldon and a little obtuse, but some of it started to get through to her. By the end of it, she had figured out every problem.

* * *

Penny bounded up the stairs as fast as she could. She hoped Sheldon was home, because she needed to share this with him. When she reached the fourth floor, she went directly to 4A, not even stopping at her own place. She opened the door without knocking and went in.

Sheldon was standing in the kitchen with a bottle of water in his hand. He looked towards her and sighed. "Oh, Penny, please come in. It's not necessary to knock."

"Yeah, yeah, Sheldon, I know. Guess what?"

"Well, I couldn't possibly, given the lack of parameters you provided."

She shook her head, "No, you don't have to…I got my exam grades."

"Oh, well, I don't think I would have guessed that."

"No, you don't understand, the math exam? The one you were helping me with? I got a B plus!"

"Oh, Penny, I'm so sorry. You must be devastated."

"No, I'm thrilled! I never even got a B in any subject, let alone a B plus. And in math! It's the best grade I ever got!"

"Really?" Sheldon was truly perplexed. "Well, we share that at least. I never got a B either."

"You didn't?"

"Heavens, no. I would have sunk into deep depression had I ever earned a grade below an A plus. But I see that you are pleased with this grade, so I will say, well done!"

She smiled and said, "I never would have done it without you. Your help was what did it."

"Well, I am pleased that my tutelage was beneficial."

She hesitated, then said, "Okay, Sheldon, I know you don't like physical contact, but I'm warning you ahead of time, so don't freak out, but I am hugging you now."

She went to him and put her arms around his shoulders. She expected him to complain, give her a strike and stand stiffly while she hugged him.

She did not expect his arms to go around her waist and his hands to rest on her back. She was afraid to move, so she prolonged the hug for several seconds.

She was nervous that when she let go, it might be awkward between them. Sheldon would probably look away, maybe run to his room.

But it wasn't.

When she released her hold, Sheldon took an extra second or two before letting go of her. Then he looked at her directly, his blue eyes shining as he did.

Their gazes locked and held for several seconds. Penny couldn't remember ever having Sheldon look at her so intently and she really didn't understand the flips her stomach was taking while he did.

After what seemed like years, but was only less than a minute, he broke the gaze and turned away.

"I am very happy that you are doing well in your studies, Penny."

"Well, I wouldn't be if it wasn't for you. The tutoring and paying my tuition gave me extra time to study."

He inclined his head, "It is my duty to assist anyone who seeks to improve their station and further educate themselves."

"But you're not helping 'anyone'. You're helping me. And I really appreciate it."

She leaned up and kissed him on the cheek, then turned and left the apartment.

After she left, he stood there for several minutes just staring at the door before turning around and sitting at his computer.

**And so it begins!**


	8. Chapter 8

**As I told some of my reviewers, it won't be a smooth road to romance for these two. If it was, I would be ending the story at this chapter and I don't think any of us want that. Not me, as I have a lot more I need to tell!**

Chapter 8

_I chastised myself quite liberally for prolonging the physical contact initiated by Penny's hug. I understood her need to indulge in the action as a way to show her gratitude for my assistance with her school work. But my reaction to the encounter was at the very least perplexing, at most disturbing._

_My friends believe that I have no sexual desires at all. It has even been questioned as to whether I even possess genitalia. I have since corrected them on that issue, but they still don't think I feel desire._

_They would be wrong._

_I am a human being of the male gender in possession of good health and superior intelligence. I am also prone to the normal urges present in any male heterosexual._

_Although my friends have questioned that as well, assuming since I show no interest in women, that I must prefer males. That would be untrue._

_The difference between myself and my friends, in actuality, is not that I do not experience the same feelings and longings that they do, because I do. The difference is that I have been able to control them and not let them rule my life. _

_Since I did not intend to allow a woman into my life in a romantic manner, nor allow myself to be thrown into a romantic maelstrom, it would not be a problem. And if I should meet someone who met all of my standards, I would adopt Don Quixote's manner and love her pure and chaste from afar. At the proper time in my life, I would seek a proper mate to procreate, but it would be based on logic and intelligence and not on primitive desires. Therefore, I would not let the physical urges and requirements distract me from my purpose. It was all so perfectly clear to me._

_Until Penny._

_For the first time in my life, I was in possession of sexual feelings for a woman. And although I attempted to follow the knight errant's lead, my libido refused to cooperate._

_Consider this: A man is in possession of certain bodily needs. This is basic human physiology. Even a man as advanced as myself, a homo novus, if you will, is still susceptible to those needs. I could try to deny my need for food or sleep or even oxygen, but that would be a futile endeavor._

_However, I had never considered that sexual longing would be one of the needs that I could not resist. But I discovered that I wanted Penny in a sexual manner and had little idea what to do about it._

_(from the personal journal of Sheldon Cooper, PhD)_

* * *

Penny knew that something was on Amy's mind as soon as the girl arrived at her apartment.

"What's the matter, Ames?"

"I can always depend on you, bestie, to read my emotions perfectly."

Penny smiled at her.

Amy sighed, "I feel that I must end my relationship with Sheldon."

"What! Why?"

She hesitated before saying, "I have found myself in the throes of physical desire for a man who is not my boyfriend, Dr. Sheldon Cooper."

"Another guy? Who?"

"A colleague at work. I have not, as of yet, explored these feelings. I know that it would be improper to do so while my relationship agreement with Sheldon is still in effect."

"Okay, well, that's true. But are you sure? I thought you liked Sheldon."

"I do like Sheldon. Except for you, he is one of my best friends. We have almost identical thought patterns. I can predict how he will react to almost any situation, as it is similar to my own reaction. And therein lies the problem."

"I don't understand. You guys connect, why is that a problem?"

"We are too similar. I thought that a man like that would be my perfect match. However, I have found that I desire someone who can surprise me. And who can inflame my loins."

"Sheldon doesn't turn you on?"

"Unfortunately, no. I have tried kissing him and even holding his hand. I have had no physical response to touching him."

"Nothing?" Penny asked.

Amy shook her head. "I had initially believed that would not be a problem, that a purely intellectual relationship was ideally suited to my temperament. However, I have since discovered the flaw in that supposition, as I now desire to be joined with someone that, as modern vernacular would say, 'turns me on.' To have less seems as though I am missing out."

Penny nodded, "You are missing out. It should be hot between you. That's what love and romance are all about. So, when are you telling Sheldon?"

"Today. I have already composed an email that I will send him shortly. I wanted to inform you first, as I know that the two of you have a deep friendship and he may mention it."

Penny understood how Amy was feeling – she certainly couldn't live without passion in her own life. And she was happy that the girl had made the decision to do something about, perhaps even finding a guy who was willing.

But she was also concerned about Sheldon. Amy might consider them "besties", but Sheldon had been her friend for a much longer time. He was also much more fragile when it came to feelings. Mostly because he was so unused to them. But he was like a little boy and she suddenly felt a motherly compulsion to protect him.

She waited until that evening, then wandered over to 4A, with some of her school books. She wanted to have a reason to be visiting him, as Sheldon would balk at her display of care and concern.

"Hi Sheldon." She said as she entered, seeing him at his computer. She tried to be cool about it, as she asked, "How's it going?"

But the inflection of her voice alerted Sheldon. He looked at her sharply. "It's going as it always does. I take in oxygen and expel carbon dioxide on a regular basis. I also ingest food and expel bodily waste. But I don't believe that is what you are inquiring, is it?"

"Well…" Penny began.

Sheldon sighed, "I assume you have spoken to Amy Farah Fowler today and you are here to ascertain if my heart is broken. I can assure you most definitely that it is not."

"But Sheldon, you just broke up with your girlfriend. It's normal to feel hurt."

"First of all, I am not normal, Penny."

"That's true." Penny muttered under her breath. His eyes narrowed, so she knew that the Vulcan ears heard her, but he didn't comment on that and continued.

"Second, although Amy and I updated our relationship status from girl-slash-friend-slash-boy-slash friend to girlfriend-slash-boyfriend, it was not due to an increase in emotional or hormonal attachment, therefore, none of those things are involved in the dissolution of that status."

"Then why did you?"

"At the time, it seemed prudent, as Amy was seeking out other, unsuitable companions. However, I have determined that if Amy is indeed interested in a relationship based on the emotional and physical, then she is correct in ending our agreement, as I have neither the inclination nor capacity to provide her with those things."

"So you're really okay with it?"

"There will be no essential change in my interaction with Amy Farah Fowler. We will still communicate on a regular basis, sharing interesting and amusing tidbits from our day. She will, when so inclined, come to this apartment to share food and conversation. And I assume her relationship with you will remain as always. The only alteration that I anticipate is the cessation of our monthly or twice monthly date night, which I do not regret, since as of late she was requesting more intimacy than I was comfortable with."

Penny knew that Sheldon was unable to lie, so she was inclined to believe what he told her. She knew that his relationship with Amy was not the usual boyfriend/girlfriend pairing, as there was absolutely nothing physical going on. She'd often wondered why the heck they even were together.

"As long as you're okay, sweetie, then I'm happy. I guess I just want everyone to be happy and matched up. Because I started dating someone too!"

A shadow passed over Sheldon's face, so quickly Penny didn't even notice it really, but sensed something. He stared at her then, and in his customary condescending tone, said, "Oh, Penny, not another Neanderthal!"

"No, I met him at school."

"A community college student." Sheldon was shaking his head.

"No, he's a teacher."

"Penny! One shouldn't date her teacher!"

"One isn't. He's not my teacher. He teaches political science, but only part time. He's been a campaign manager for a couple of candidates and he may run in the next state senate race."

"Really?"

"Yeah, he's smart too. Oh, not you guys smart, but pretty smart anyway. He's real good looking too."

Sheldon could see the excitement in Penny when she spoke of her new flame. From her description of the man, he seemed like a suitable companion for her.

"He's funny and we like a lot of the same things. And he treats me really nice. Better than most of the other guys I've dated. I guess you were right. I needed to make changes to see changes, huh?"

She smiled at him, and went home.

**SORRY! Don't hurt me, but I just said there would be some bumps! Please review, even if you want to yell at me for throwing this new guy into the mix. If your review is signed, I will respond to you. I try to respond to every one of them.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Each time I post, there are more alerts and favorites! I am so honored that you like my story. Remember, if you review, I'll be sure to respond (as long as you're signed in).**

Chapter 9

_I did not lie to Penny when I expressed my indifference to the end of my relationship with Amy. Well, of course not, I don't lie. But more to the point, I understood that Amy was expressing requirements she had for a boyfriend, things that I wasn't able to supply. I began to realize that she was not the proper mate that I had been anticipating. She would end up an emotional female once again and would desire affection from me. I felt no affection for Amy Farah Fowler beyond that of a friend. We shared many amusing moments, but I had no desire to share anything more than that._

_The termination of our relationship agreement was – to me – a relief. I could continue in friendship with Amy, but without the tedium of boyfriend/girlfriend activities._

_When Penny commenced her relationship with Jeff, I understood on an intellectual level, that this was a man that was appropriate to her. Smart in a way that she could understand and appreciate. By all indications, he treated her with care and respect, as a man should._

_That he most likely did not share our interests was an annoyance, but ultimately not a hindrance to the progression of their relationship. I was aware that eventually Penny would move out of our circle. All of it was completely logical and predictable._

_Therefore, I could not understand why it was so upsetting to me. Penny's relationship with Jeff was far more upsetting than the dissolution of my relationship with Amy. And the fact that both occurred at approximately the same time was somehow more upsetting._

_My curiosity over this situation sent me to my white board for many hours of hypothesizing and analysis with no satisfying conclusion._

_(from the personal journal of Sheldon Cooper, PhD)_

* * *

Penny's new boyfriend, Jeff, was all of the things she'd said and more. He was very good-looking and very sure of himself, but he wasn't overly conceited. His family was upper middle class and fairly stable as families go. He'd gone to UCLA as a political science major. He was exactly the type of man she'd always hoped she'd meet.

As she grew closer to him, she really wanted him to meet her other friends. She asked him if he'd like to.

"Sure. We could have them all here at my condo. I'll put a few steaks on the grill and…"

"Um, I'm not sure if that would work." She told him. "There really isn't a steak night, though I guess we could do it on 'Anything-Can-Happen-Thursday', still Sheldon would need to examine your kitchen. He might take my word, but I can't be sure. Then, of course, if Raj is following his religion that week, he won't eat beef, but…"

"What?" Jeff interrupted. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"My friend Sheldon is a little OCD and pretty set in his ways. It would probably be better if you went to them. You like Thai food, right? We could go over on Monday night. As long as I let Sheldon know ahead of time."

"Are you serious?" he asked her.

"Actually, I am. Would you mind?"

Jeff smiled at his beautiful new girlfriend, willing to accommodate however she needed him to. "If you want me to meet your friends and this is the only way I can do it, why not?"

Penny told Leonard that she would be bringing Jeff on Monday to meet everyone, to be sure there was enough food. Otherwise Sheldon would freak and she didn't want Jeff to think Sheldon was weird or anything. Well, Sheldon was weird, but in his own crazy, sweet way.

She introduced Jeff to all of the guys and Bernadette and Amy as well. Leonard's new girlfriend, Nancy, was also there. Everyone greeted the newcomer happily, except for Sheldon. He sat in his spot and barely looked at Penny's boyfriend. The only thing he said was, "Alright, now that they're here, albeit late, may we finally eat?"

Jeff raised his eyebrows, but kept his mouth shut. He talked a little, but for the most part didn't join in to the guys' discussions of sci fi movies or superheroes. The women were discussing Howard and Bernadette's upcoming wedding, which was also of little interest.

Finally, Leonard, remembering that he needed to be a good host, directed a question at Jeff.

"Penny tells us you've managed some political campaigns."

"Yes, I have," Jeff responded. "Three to be precise. All successful too."

"Wow, that's great. And you want to run yourself now?"

"Yes, I do. The state senate race in two years. The current senator is retiring after this term. I'm starting to get my name and face out there and working on the PR."

"That's exciting." Leonard said. He looked around. Howard and Raj were whispering about something, since Raj hadn't had anything to drink and couldn't talk in front of the women. Amy and Bernadette were still chatting about the wedding. Penny was watching Jeff and Leonard converse, hoping that her friends and her boyfriend would get along.

Sheldon was ignoring everyone, reading a comic book. Leonard turned to him. "Isn't that exciting, Sheldon?"

"What?" Sheldon asked, not taking his eyes off of his comic.

"Jeff's going to be the next state senator."

"That's not a given. He's planning on running, and if his party accepts him as the nominee, he will go against the other party's nominee. There are too many variables to say for certain that he will be the winner."

"You have to go into it convinced you'll win. That's half the battle." Jeff told him.

"While a positive attitude is preferable, it is still no guarantee."

"Well, I think he has a very good chance." Leonard said.

"You have neither the knowledge nor the experience to make that statement." Sheldon countered.

Penny could see that Jeff was starting to get impatient, even though he did a good job of using his political skills to hide it.

"Let's just say that I am going to do the best I possibly can" He put his arm around Penny. "And with this lovely lady by my side, who wouldn't vote for me?"

Sheldon scowled and was about to speak, when Penny interrupted. "Watch it, Sheldon. Whatever you are about to say, I know it's going to piss me off. So zip it."

He stared at her, then picked up his comic and continued reading, but she saw his mouth twitch and she knew it was killing him to not speak.

They continued to chat for a while, but the conversation was strained and uncomfortable. As soon as the chance arose, Penny excused them and she and Jeff returned to her apartment.

"Wow," he said. "That was something else."

"I know they're a little awkward at first, but…" she began.

"Awkward? They are downright weird. Howard is just disgusting. How he got that cute girl to agree to marry him is anyone's guess. But she seems to have some of her own problems, so maybe not such a surprise. Raj can't talk to women? What the hell is up with that? And Leonard is trying so hard to have everyone like him, it's pathetic.

"But the worst by far is Sheldon. I've met some pompous asses in my time, but man, he takes the cake."

Penny couldn't believe he was saying those things about her friends. She attempted to defend them. "They're not that bad once you get to know them. Really."

"Babe, I know they're your friends and that's great. Enjoy them. But they're just not my cup of tea." He shrugged. "We don't have like each other's friends. Hey, you've met Pete, my college roommate."

"He's an ass."

"Yeah, he is. But he's my friend. I don't expect you to hang out with him. We're adults. We have our own lives, our own friends, but we come together when it counts."

She smiled at him. He was so reasonable, how could she be mad that he didn't like her friends? It was true, you didn't always like your significant other's friends. She'd just thought that everyone would love the guys the way she did. But she had to say one more thing on the subject.

"I know that Sheldon comes off as a condescending jerk, but he's really not like that."

"Really?"

"Yes. I could tell you so many nice things he's done for me. He's just…not comfortable with emotions and he hides it with attitude. He also has no filters. Whatever is on his mind, he says."

"Sometimes in life you need to not say it. I wouldn't get very far in politics if I said exactly what was on my mind all the time."

"The last thing Sheldon Cooper is is politically correct. But he'll never lie to you."

"Remind me not to run his political campaign. "

"He's going to win a Nobel Prize one day."

"I have no doubt that he will. And I will be happy to welcome him to the White House and congratulate him. Look, Penny, we have a future together. I can see you beside me as I take my place in the Senate or in the Governor's mansion or even the White House."

"Really?"

"I'm in this for the long run. I know we're not ready for that step yet, but we can move forward together. In fact, I've been wanting to ask you something."

She looked at him expectantly.

"Penny, I think you should move in with me."

She was shocked. "We've only been dating like two months!"

"I know. But you're exactly what I want. A beautiful, sweet, sassy girl. We get along. We have a lot of the same interests. What's wrong with us moving in together?"

"I don't know, Jeff, it seems so quick."

"Don't decide this minute. There's no rush. Think about it and let me know."

"Okay, I'll think about it." She said and he kissed her.

**I know everyone wants to hate Jeff, but he's not a bad guy. And he really cares about Penny. Just because he doesn't like Sheldon and the others, don't judge him. I'm sure there are a lot of people who would be put off by our favorite geeks if they met them in person!**

**Review! Review! Review!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Thanks again for all the alerts and favorites and, of course, the reviews! Sparked a few emotions with the last chatper. I think this one will as well. Enjoy!**

Chapter 10

_Penny thought it was important that the rest of us meet her new friend Jeff. I found him to be stupid and obnoxious._

_That's a lie._

_I found him to be neither of those things. The man was knowledgeable in world events and the political system. Granted, not subjects I have any profound interest in, but as that was his chosen profession, he was correct to have such knowledge. As I have a perfunctory understanding of those items myself, I could ascertain how much he knew._

_But he was rude to everyone and no one liked him._

_That's a lie._

_He was extremely polite, although I am sure it was his politician's way that smoothed over anything he did not like. Still, since it was apparent that he did not like any of us, he only did that to please Penny and that was admirable of the man. It told me that he truly cared about her and her feelings._

_I was extremely happy that Penny had found such an intelligent and well-mannered man that cared deeply for her._

_That's a lie._

_(from the personal journal of Sheldon Cooper, PhD)_

* * *

Penny spent the next few days thinking about what Jeff had asked. At first, she brushed it off as ridiculous. They'd only been dating for two months! Who moved in with a guy after only two months?

But the more she thought about it, the more the advantages occurred to her. Jeff owned a really nice condo. His mortgage was almost paid off and she would not have to contribute to the rent. Having that extra money would be awesome.

Still, she couldn't just use the financial advantage as the reason to move in with a guy?

She laughed a lot when she was with Jeff. He was so friendly and charming and his sense of humor was great. Unlike another guy she knew who had practically no sense of humor at all.

Whoa, where did that come from?

Who cared whether Sheldon Cooper had a sense of humor? She was thinking about Jeff and the future they could have together. She didn't have a future with Sheldon as anything more than a friend.

She tried hanging out with the guys whenever Jeff was teaching night classes or attending political rallies. But Jeff's question was always in her mind. Especially when she was getting help with her schoolwork from Sheldon.

She wanted to know what he thought of the idea, but somehow she was reluctant to tell him.

One evening, Sheldon had helped her with her schoolwork and then the three of them ate Chinese food. Leonard was there. He was meeting Nancy later in the evening for a late movie, so he was able to eat with them.

It was nice, just the three of them eating together like old times. Times that she realized would be few and far between if she moved in with Jeff. Still, it was almost time to grow up.

She looked at these two men who had come to mean so much to her over the last few years. One had been her lover, the other her closest friend. She decided she needed to tell them what was on her mind.

"So, Jeff asked me to move in with him."

She watched to see what her friends' reactions would be. Leonard smiled and said, "Wow, that's something! Are you going to do it?'

She didn't answer right away, her eyes were on Sheldon. She thought she saw a brief shadow pass over his blue eyes, but seconds later, he was turning back to the food on the counter.

"What do you think, Sheldon?" she asked finally.

"Whatever I think has no consequence in this situation. You are the person who would be living with Jeff; therefore you are the only person who can make the choice and the only person whom it effects."

She tried not to show the hurt his words caused. "Still, your opinion matters. If it hadn't been for you, I wouldn't be in school and I would never have met Jeff. So, I'd like to know if you think it's a good idea."

"You seem to like the man. He's certainly an improvement over other men that you dated. He's smart and has a plan for his future. He treats you well, or so you've told us. He possesses the symmetry of looks, low body fat and appropriate percentage of muscle that women find attractive. Why shouldn't it be a good idea?"

She nodded, "You're right. He's perfect. Well, I'm guess I'm gonna do it!"

Leonard smiled some more. "That's great. I'm sure you'll be happy with him."

She could see that Leonard was genuinely happy for her. Between the length of time since their relationship had ended and his new girlfriend, he had put aside his lingering feelings and was happy that she was moving on. She hadn't been concerned on that part.

It was Sheldon that worried her.

"Sheldon, I really do appreciate everything you've done for me. I would never have been able to go to school without you. And, um, you won't need to pay for next year."

He looked at her then. "Is Jeff paying the tuition going forward?"

"Well, no, but since I won't have to pay rent at Jeff's condo, I can afford to pay for school."

Sheldon nodded, "And he certainly wouldn't want another man paying for his woman's education."

"So when do you move?" Leonard asked.

"Well, I have to give the landlord thirty days' notice, so I guess, in thirty days."

Sheldon stared at her for a few moments, then said, "So I assume this will be one of the last times we see you."

"What? No! Of course you're going to see me! We're not going to stop being friends just because I'm moving!"

"Actually, we are."

"Why-?"

'You will no longer be across the hall, so you will no longer be dropping in to see us at any given moment. You will no longer be joining us for game night or movies or any of the like."

"Why wouldn't I be? Don't you want me?"

"It's not a question of what we want. Jeff will not want his girlfriend spending evenings with other men. Nor should he. I wouldn't wish that if you were my woman."

She almost heard the slightest crack in his voice when he said that and another shadow crossed his face.

Leonard felt the tension in the room. "Maybe you and Jeff and Nancy and I can go out to dinner some night."

Sheldon shook his head. "That won't happen either. Jeff won't want to be socializing with Penny's ex-boyfriend, especially as he doesn't particularly care for you or the rest of us. Oh, you will attempt to continue contact. You will come to visit for a few minutes occasionally. You will send those 'cute' (he used air quotes to emphasize) emails. But in a few months, possibly less, we will no longer hear from you. So, Penny, it was nice knowing you. Good luck with Jeff and your new life."

He turned and walked down the hallway to his room.

She watched him, speechless. Then she turned to Leonard, but she could see by his face that he agreed with Sheldon.

"I guess he's right." Leonard said. "It's not going to be the same. And we're gonna lose touch."

She bit her lip to hold back the tears. "I guess," she stammered, "Well, I'd better get started. I'll see you, Leonard."

She exited as quickly as she could and practically ran across the hall. Once inside 4B, she let the tears fall. Then she stopped and chastised herself.

Why was she crying? She loved Jeff. They would be so happy together. He was smart and serious. He wanted a future with her. And he had a good future in front of him. She should be ecstatic. He was exactly what she wanted.

Right?

Then why did she keep seeing the sadness in Sheldon's eyes? Why did she keep thinking about him holding that hug a few seconds longer? What the hell was going on?

It wasn't like she was attracted to him. After all, it was Sheldon. Sure, he was her friend. And he had helped her whenever she needed it. But she had Jeff now, which was all she needed.

Penny was restless most of the night. Questions kept swirling in her head. Why did Sheldon hold on to the hug for that extra time? Why did she feel so strange tonight? Why was the thought of making Sheldon sad so upsetting to her? This was Sheldon, after all. She'd known him for all of this time. He was not interested in women. Or men either for that matter.

But he seemed really happy when she'd done well in her exam and he hadn't minded her hug. She hadn't minded it either. Especially the way he'd hugged her back.

Whoa! Wait, this was Sheldon!

He wasn't even her type. She liked tall, good looking men. Well, to be honest, he was certainly tall. And those blue eyes were breathtaking.

She remembered when she'd helped him shop for the suit. When he'd come out in that black suit, she'd lost the ability to speak. He was actually hot!

And she'd noticed lately, he'd filled out a bit in his shoulders. She wasn't sure what was going on, but he wasn't the string bean he'd been when they first met.

Okay, so he was mildly attractive. Maybe a little more than mildly.

But this was Sheldon! He was annoying. And that OCD would drive any woman crazy! He was so totally self-absorbed, it was unbelievable.

Well, not totally self-absorbed. He'd actually done some really nice things for her. Helping her when she'd dislocated her shoulder. That was way, way out of his comfort zone. But he'd touched her, he'd driven her to the hospital and he'd taken her home and taken care of her. He'd been really sweet – in his totally annoying Sheldon way.

And then there was the whole money thing. Paying her tuition like that was amazing. But he hadn't even blinked an eye. There was nothing she ever asked of him that he didn't do for her. Oh, he'd complain and say Sheldon-y things about it, but she could always depend on him. And he never lied to her. She knew that whatever he said to her, it was always the truth. There was something refreshing about that.

But this was Sheldon! He didn't even think about her that way! Not just her, any woman.

Still, when he'd helped her with her shoulder, he had peeked. Why would he peek? Curiosity? Or something else? Maybe there was an interest in women that he just suppressed. That he'd peeked always confused her and in a small way excited her.

But did that mean he had an interest in her?

Whenever Penny was interested in a guy, she usually knew exactly what to do. She'd wear something tight and skimpy, fluff up her hair, put on a seductive scent and turn on the charm. It always worked.

But she knew that wouldn't work with Sheldon. She'd walked around him half naked more than once. It didn't seem to interest him. He'd never initiated any contact or looked at her longingly before this.

What changed? And what should she do about it?


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

_When Penny announced that she would be co-habiting with Jeff, I found myself conflicted. On the one hand, he was a worthy suitor. Intelligent and serious, as well as in possession of the visage and body shape that women find desirous. But on the other hand…_

_For the first time in my life I could not provide valid cons for Penny's continuing relationship with Jeff. Normally, this would cause me to accept the pros and put an end to the analysis. But even though I had no cons to present, I was against the action. It was not a logical assumption and I have no explanation for my belief._

_But there it was. And it perplexed me to no end._

_What also perplexed me was the deep sadness that engulfed me at the thought of Penny's exit from our lives. I understood that Jeff did not like the amount of time that Penny spent with us and would certainly not want her to continue the practice. And once she was out of our proximity, she would no longer want it either._

_While I would miss her, I usually approached situations like this pragmatically. As much as I abhorred change in my life, I had long ago accepted that it was a fact of life and people often moved in and out of it._

_So why was the idea of saying a final goodbye to Penny causing me such sadness?_

_(from the personal journal of Sheldon Cooper, PhD)_

* * *

Penny avoided the guys' apartment for the next week. If their friendship was ending because of her move, then so be it. Why prolong everything? And it would also be too painful to be there and know she wouldn't see him, uh, them again.

Damn! She knew she had to stop thinking about Sheldon. There was only one way that she knew to get him out of her head.

The next day, she made sure she was in the lobby when Sheldon and Leonard came home from work. Leonard greeted her right away.

"Hey, Penny. We haven't seen you all week. How are you?'

She smiled at Leonard, but her eyes flicked to Sheldon, who was remaining silent. "Oh, I'm fine. Just trying to get myself organized to pack. Do you know, I haven't even started! I just can't figure out where to begin."

Sheldon stiffened at her words as they started walking up the stairs together. She prattled on some more about her inability to pack.

"I dunno, maybe I'll just get a box of those big trash bags and toss everything in. That's easy and it won't take me any time at all. Well, see you guys later!" She went into her apartment and waited.

No more than ten minutes later, she heard the familiar triple knock on her door. She opened it to a stern faced Sheldon holding his iPad.

"What's up?" she asked, even though she knew.

"Penny, you cannot possibly move without some organization of your possessions."

"Really?"

He sighed and held out his iPad. "I've made a list of materials you'll need and another of what you will need to do. You will need to purchase boxes, packing tape, bubble wrap and do you have magic markers? Even if you do, you may want to purchase more in a variety of colors. Then you can color code your moving boxes to whichever room they will go into."

She watched him as he spoke, getting close to him to pretend to look at the lists. "Hmm, good suggestions. But I have one other idea."

She moved even closer and leaned up, snaking her arms around his neck as she kissed him softly.

He pulled his head up sharply. She could see confusion and some other emotion in his eyes. Then he leaned down and kissed her, while his arms went around her waist.

The kiss was gentle, but his lips were firm, sure. She thought he would break away quickly, but as he'd done with the hug, he held onto her and the kiss for longer than she'd ever believe he would.

But too soon he did break away. He stared at her for a moment, fear and something akin to horror in his eyes. Then he turned and ran out the apartment and back to his own.

She watched his closed door for a bit and lightly touched her lips where he'd kissed her. Yes, she had her answer.

It took her two days to actually go to 4A and tell them. But she finally bolstered up her courage and knocked on the door. Leonard opened the door and smiled at her.

"Penny! How's the packing going?" He said as he stepped aside to let her in.

She saw Sheldon sitting at his desk. He looked up at her, then back at his laptop.

"Actually, it's not. I've stopped packing."

Sheldon whirled around. "Penny, I sent you an email with the list of tasks and materials. Did you disregard it?"

"Yep. 'Cause I don't need it. I'm not moving."

"What?" Leonard asked, "You're staying?"

"Yep."

"What about Jeff?"

"He's a great guy, but not the guy for me."

Leonard eyed her suspiciously. "Are you sure? Last week you really liked him."

"Yeah, well, I thought more about it and he's not what I want."

Sheldon turned back to his laptop, avoiding looking at her.

"Well, sorry about Jeff, but it's good you're staying! We would've missed you."

"Thanks, Leonard. Well, I've gotta go. Just wanted to let you guys know. Bye!" She glanced at Sheldon, but he was staring at the computer, so she went out the door and into her own apartment.

She thought for a minute he wouldn't come, but a few minutes later, she heard the familiar knocks. When she opened the door, she could see confusion in his blue eyes.

"Penny, did you end your relationship with Jeff because of – of what we, um, you know…"

"Because we kissed? Partly."

"Penny, that's foolish. You had a good relationship with Jeff, a future, a man who was finally worthy of you. How could you end it because of a – a…"

"A kiss." She smiled, liking that he'd said Jeff was worthy of her, not that she was worthy of him. "I said partly. I didn't end it because we kissed. I ended it because you can't be with one man when you enjoyed kissing another man as much as I did."

His eyes went wide and she saw the panic and the confusion. She could see the wheels turning in his head. And with Sheldon Cooper's head, they were some pretty intricate wheels.

"Sheldon, it's okay, I'm not…" She didn't get to finish.

"No!" he yelled and turned and ran out of the apartment, slamming the door behind him.

**A/N: Can I just say here that even though I don't usually see the chemistry between Sheldon and Amy, on last week's episode (The Launch Acceleration), I was kind of into them? Not going to say anymore in case you haven't seen it, but I had to say, GO AMY! Anyway, thanks for the reviews and alerts.**


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

_I have always known that Penny is much smarter than her upbringing and failed community college career would lead one to believe. She understood that I could not resist the idea of helping someone organize herself. Apparently her disorganization was a ruse to bring me to her apartment._

_When she kissed me, I must admit that I was flabbergasted. I had not expected that and I immediately pulled away from her. But she stood there, so close to me and her lips were still parted and I found wanton desires fighting with my better judgment. Wanton won. I returned the kiss, and reveled in the feeling for several moments before I remembered my knightly code and broke away once again. Not only was I breaking my own code, I was intruding upon a woman that belonged to another man. I fled her apartment as quickly as I could._

_I experienced a moment of pure joy when Penny announced that she would no longer be with Jeff. It passed just as quickly, as I became aware that the kiss we shared may have instigated her parting ways with a man for whom she perhaps had deep feelings. I felt it was my responsibility to inform her of her foolishness in this matter._

_(from the personal journal of Sheldon Cooper, PhD)_

* * *

She leaned against the door after he'd gone. Tears were starting to well in her eyes. Okay, she didn't expect a declaration of love from him, but she had hoped they could at least discuss it. She remembered Mary Cooper's description of her son as a baby deer and that was probably true. She felt a tear escape down her cheek, but she didn't even bother to wipe it away. This wasn't going to work.

It was then that she heard the knock. It was soft and she might have missed it, if it wasn't for the fact that there were three and her name was whispered at the end. She didn't wait for the rest of them, she flung the door open and flung herself into his arms.

Sheldon drew back, unprepared for the woman who launched herself at him. He pushed her gently away from his body.

"Penny, please. I need to speak with you."

She got hold of herself. "Okay, Sheldon, I'm sorry. Come in, let's talk."

She moved away and back into her apartment and he followed her at a safe distance, closing the door behind them.

She sat on the sofa and looked up at him. "Sheldon, I'm sorry, I know you don't like anyone invading your personal space…"

"That is not the problem. I understand that you are a physical person and I have accepted that. I need you to understand that I am not."

"You hugged me back."

His head popped up and he stared at her. "Pardon me?"

"When I hugged you for helping me with my math, you hugged me back. You held the hug longer than normal."

"I—"

"And you kissed me back. The other day when I kissed you, you could have just broken away. But you didn't. You kissed me back and you put your arms around me. That has to mean something, Sheldon."

"It – I – it wasn't –"

"Sheldon, I'm not trying to make you do anything you're uncomfortable with. I'd just like to be able to talk to you about it. I'm feeling something here and I'm thinking you are too."

Sheldon paced nervously and Penny decided to give him the time he needed to process it in that giant brain of his.

When he finally spoke, she was surprised at his question. "Are you no longer in love with Jeff?"

She shook her head. "I don't know if I was ever really in love with him. There was a lot of infatuation. He was handsome and successful and it was exciting to think of being the wife of the next senator or governor or even president! But there was something missing there."

"And Leonard?"

"Definitely something missing there. The problem is that we're such good friends and I was so scared that we would lose that if I broke up with him. And it was easy and comfortable being with him. The thing is, I don't want comfortable. I want someone who's going to challenge me."

He stared at her, swallowing hard as she said that.

"Sheldon, there's only one man that I know who challenges me every day. That's you. I'd like to explore what could happen if the two of us were …the two of us."

He took a deep breath. "I am a man who is in control of the physical and emotional in his life. I find that if I control those aspects, it allows me the freedom of mind to pursue the greater things. The idea of a romantic relationship with anyone is counterintuitive to my goals."

"So you're saying you can't have a romance with anyone because you have to concentrate on winning your Nobel Prize?"

"Yes."

"And you're saying that you control all the stuff in your life for the same reason?"

"Yes."

"And that enjoying being with someone would affect all that?"

"Yes."

"That's bullshit!" she yelled.

"No, it is not. By keeping my life in strict control, I am able to –"

"No, you don't get it. You don't keep everything under control."

"Yes, I do."

"No. You need to eat food and to rest your body for it to survive, right?"

"Of course."

"Then why don't you only eat healthy food, lean protein and fruits and vegetables? That would keep your body healthy. But you eat pizza and hamburgers and Thai food and drink soda and eat ice cream. Why do you do that?"

"Because I like those things."

"Yes, but they're frivolous foods. They are foods you eat for enjoyment only, not for health. And when you rest your body, you don't just sleep or read. You play video games and watch fantasy movies and play paintball and bowl. Those aren't things you NEED. They're things you like. And they make your life better because you enjoy them."

He watched her as she spoke and she could see that he was thinking about what she was saying.

"So, no, you don't NEED romance in your life, but it might be enjoyable and it might make your life better."

He was silent for a few moments, then said, "Those are things I had not considered."

One thing she liked about Sheldon, he would listen to you and think about what you said. If he rejected it, there was usually a logical reason – at least to him. And he was just as likely to accept it if it made sense to him.

"I shall have to analyze this new data and decide if it is a valid hypothesis."

She smiled, "Well, when you're analyzing, doesn't it help to have a lot of data to look at?"

"Of course."

"Okay, then here's some more." And she moved close to him, put her arms around his neck and kissed him deeply. He stiffened at first, but then responded with his lips, his arms encircling her.

When they finally broke apart, his heart was beating much faster.

"I will think about what you said." He said quietly, then left her apartment.

**Sorry that was a little short, but I had to break it here. Thank you all so much for all the wonderful reviews! I feel as though I've been accepted int eh Big Bang community.**


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

_Penny's new hypothesis gave me quite a lot to think about. I had always assumed that my choice to not allow emotional entanglements into my life would help to keep me focused upon my work. And of course my pursuit of Don Quixote's ideals as well would make me an exemplary scientist and help me to attain my goals, which would ultimately be of great benefit to the entire world._

_However, she was correct in her assessment. I engaged in numerous activities to provide me with pleasure, but which did nothing to advance my goal of the Nobel Prize. Although that might seem selfish, after the debacle with that graduate student, I would not change it. She forced me to abandon all of my enjoyable pastimes and I was miserable._

_Still, I was not convinced that I was prepared to abandon my noble goals and my commitment to love pure and chaste. _

_As I considered the pros and cons, my mind kept wandering, which is highly unusual for me. I normally remain focused on my goal._

_Instead, I kept remembering the 'data' that Penny provided. The feel of her lips as they touched mine and the anxiety it caused in me. I did not experience revulsion at the touch, nor the need to disinfect. The anxiety was the result of my desire to do it again. And the quandary was would I be able to and still remain the man I was. And the most burning question: did I want to remain the man I was?_

_(from the personal journal of Sheldon Cooper, PhD)_

* * *

Over the next few days, Penny didn't mention their discussion to Sheldon. She knew he needed time to think about what he wanted to do. But she also didn't want him to forget about it either. So the next time she came over to 4A to eat with the guys, she sat down next to Sheldon. Since Howard and Bernadette were on her left, that gave her a good excuse to move as close to him as she could. Her leg and arm brushed his. He gave her a look, but she pretended not to notice and kept eating.

While they were watching a movie, she allowed her head to drift ever so slightly to his shoulder. Once more he glanced at her, but she kept her eyes on the screen. She didn't want to be blatant, but she wanted to be sure he was aware of her.

The following night, she came by with her books for tutoring. They worked for an hour on her work. Then she sat there quietly for a moment, looking at him.

Finally she reached up and kissed him gently on the lips. He pulled back and didn't respond to the kiss.

"Please, Penny. I know what you are attempting. I told you that I would consider your argument and I am doing just that."

"Any decisions yet?"

"No." He rose from the sofa and walked to the kitchen. "I am in a quandary and not sure how to resolve it."

"Can I help?"

He looked at her and sighed, making a quick decision. "When I was in high school, I was forced to read several items of literature. Most of them were insignificant to me, except for one. 'El ingenioso Hidalgo Don Quijote de la Mancha'."

"The what?"

He shook his head. "Cervantes masterpiece 'The Ingenius Gentleman Don Quixote de la Mancha'. It was a book that spoke to me."

"Oh, like the musical, 'Man of La Mancha'!"

"Yes, the musical production was based on the book."

"Right, we did that in high school when I was fifteen. I was a serving wench." she added proudly.

"Of course you were. And you saw no prediction for your future career?"

"Hey!"

"At any rate, the book spoke to me. I saw myself as a modern day Don Quixote."

"Lots of windmills to fight in Texas?"

"Actually, there are, but I am referring to the metaphorical type. I fought the windmills of abuse and derision and dreamt my own impossible dream."

"Your Nobel Prize." she said softly.

"Indeed."

"But it's not an impossible dream! You're gonna win it."

"I appreciate your faith in my abilities. But when I was nine years old, it was not a given. It was a dream that was still out of reach."

"Well, sure…wait, you read that book when you were nine?"

"Yes, I stated that I was in high school."

"Sorry, I keep forgetting. Go on."

"I have lived my life by Don Quixote's code since then. And one of the items was that the knight errant should only love pure and chaste from afar."

"Forget that!" she said, but when she saw his face, she knew he wasn't going to. At least not easily. "Sheldon, you're not some knight from the olden times! You're a scientist!"

"And what I do, what I discover will benefit the world in many ways. Just as Don Quixote's quest would do. He attempted to improve his world and he loved his lady from afar."

"But…wait, am I Dulcinea?"

Sheldon didn't answer, but his blue eyes just stared at her.

"Wait, she was a whore! You think I—"

"The point is not whether you are a prostitute as Aldonza was, which you are not. The point is that after her encounter with Don Quixote, she saw herself as the lady Dulcinea."

"Wait, I know the songs from that show! I liked them a lot, so I bought the soundtrack. There's one, 'To Each His Dulcinea' with a really good line: 'If you build your life on dreams, it's prudent to recall, a man with moonlight in his hands holds nothing there at all.' That's you, Sheldon, you're betting your life on your hopes and dreams for a Nobel Prize, which is good because it keeps you determined. But it's bad because you're blocking out anything else that could be good in life. What happens once you get the Prize? What do you do then if that was all you hoped for? Or what happens if you don't get it?"

The look on his face when she asked that last question was murderous. "I can't think about not getting it. It's my ultimate goal."

"Of course it is, as it should be. But Sheldon, as much as we want something and as hard as we work for it, sometimes things just happen. Will your life be a failure without it?"

"Yes, it will."

She wanted to cry when he said that. "Oh, sweetie, it won't. You are so many wonderful things, not the least of which is your brain and your accomplishments. But it's all of you that makes you special, not just the work you do or what you achieve with it. I was sure I was going to be an actress, but that didn't work out. So I found a new purpose to my life and I'm okay with that. I'm not defining myself by my failures anymore."

"That may be fine for you, Penny, as you were apparently not very good at acting or you would have achieved more. But my work, my theories are destined to change the world."

"Probably. But other things change the world too. Oh, remember that episode of the original Star Trek? They traveled back in time and there was a guy that they didn't think was important because he hadn't done anything that impacted society. But when they looked some more, it turned out his son did. But he didn't yet have a son, so they had to send him back."

"Are you saying my progeny might accomplish what I do not?"

"Maybe. Or maybe something you work out will lead another scientist to figure something else out. All I'm saying is that if you don't win the Nobel Prize – which I don't think will happen, you're totally going to get it – you still could do valuable things. And allowing yourself to love someone could be the most valuable."

He pondered that. "Interesting. And my scientific theory would, in fact, be my progeny as well in a way. Either way, you have made another valid point, Penny. I will have to consider this."

She smiled, "Do you need more data to analyze?"

He knew what she was talking about and he wanted to tell her no he didn't. But he found that he couldn't speak. He just nodded his head instead. She reached up, putting her arms around his neck and pulling his face down to meet hers, as her lips touched his. Instinctively, his arms went around her back, resting just above her hips and he leaned into the kiss.

When they finally broke apart, she took a deep breath and paused before speaking again. "Sheldon, you need to remember that you aren't a fictional character. You're a real person. And real people need love."

"I have never before required affection in my life."

"But you kiss me. And you seem to enjoy it. Don't you want to know more?"

"I will admit to a slight curiosity. My companions spend an inordinate amount of time seeking sexual release. While they are not on my level, they are more intelligent than most of the general population. And yet they still find value in this pursuit. Of course, I am above that, but the curiosity is there."

"You told me you had sex before. When—"

He shook his head, "No, I don't wish to discuss that at this time. I will think about what you said. Goodbye, Penny."

She nodded, picked up her books and left. He stared at the door for several moments, before turning and heading to his bedroom. But he had a hard time sleeping.

**Can I sheepishly admit that I've never actually read Don Quixote *hangs head in shame* - though I did Spark note it? But I love the musical! So of course I had to include lyrics from it to prove my point. And I think if Penny was in it, she might have listened to the soundtrack, so there!**

**The next chapter will explain something that a lot of readers have been waiting for. No spoilers - I don't want to blow your mind, because we all know once the mind is pre-blown, it can't be unblown! LOL!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Okay, here is what people have been asking for:**

Chapter 14

_Unlike my friends, I do not discuss my sexual urges with other people. I believe that to be the most private of things. To openly discuss the women they participated in coitus with, positions and places is disgusting. Not to mention indiscreet. A gentleman does not kiss and tell, as it were. Equally so are their public displays with said women. Kissing and hugging in public. Even in private, it's uncomfortable for me. To put it out there where everyone can see should not be allowed._

_They also believe that I have no sexual experience. They would be wrong there as well. I have had two such encounters. Both were unsatisfactory._

_My first time with a woman was on my fourteenth birthday. My father took me to one of Texas' many brothels, claiming that "the little faggot had better goddamned learn to be a real man." I assume he paid the proprietor of the establishment, as I was soon whisked away to a darkened bedroom. I was repulsed by the room and the woman with me._

_But she had apparently been instructed that I was a virgin and unwilling. She caressed me and pulled down my trousers, then used her mouth on me._

_I wanted to not respond to her ministrations, but as I stated, I am male and my rebellious teen-aged body responded against my will. After she had completed the action, she asked what else I wanted. I simply shook my head and asked if I could leave._

_My second encounter was two years later. I was sixteen and about to complete my PhD work. I wanted to fit in, to be a part of the other doctoral candidates, even though they were all several years older than I. They were having a fraternity party and invited me along. I was intrigued and attended._

_The other students there were drinking rather heavily. I did not want to partake, but again, in order to fit in, I took a glass of beer and pretended to sip from it while I carried it around all evening. Eventually, one of the women approached me and began to flirt. Of course she was older than me, approximately twenty-two or twenty-three. I was young enough to be flattered by her attention. _

_She dragged me to one of the bedrooms. My teenaged, hormone filled body again responded to her stimuli and soon we were engaged in coitus. As I cannot lie, I will admit that I enjoyed the feeling when I achieved climax. However, a few seconds later, I was not as joyful when she rose from the bed and went to the hall laughing and announced to all and sundry that she had "laid the freak!" and also demanded they "cough up the hundred bucks."_

_I left as soon as I could sneak out and vowed not to be a slave to human sexuality ever again in my life. I also realized that there was no advantage in fitting in with people that were not worth my time. From that moment forward, I went my own way. I dressed as I chose, I enjoyed my own interests and I didn't pay any mind to what others thought of me._

_There was not a moment since that day that caused me to regret my decision._

_Until Penny._

_I realized immediately that a woman such as she would not find a man such as me interesting in a romantic manner. That she was nice enough to be a friend was surprising to me. As stated, women like her do not usually cultivate friendship with men like myself and my friends._

_But Penny was our friend, more specifically, my friend. We shared many important moments that weren't shared by Leonard, Howard or Raj._

_And she accepted me and behavior that most people, inexplicably, find to be an annoyance._

_Very early in our acquaintance, I snuck into her apartment while she slept and attempted to bring it to a somewhat organized state. In retrospect, I realize that action could be perceived as an invasion of Penny's privacy. She had every right to be angry at me to say the least. But Penny forgave me for the incident._

_When I fell ill, she took care of me, even singing _Soft Kitty_ and making soup until Leonard returned home. I still cannot conceive why he was called to work on a Sunday, but that is another tale._

_She allowed me to stay in her apartment and gave up her bed when I was locked out._

_When Leonard and the others betrayed me at the North Pole, Penny was the only one to offer comfort._

_She took me to Disneyland where I had a wonderful time._

_She made certain that I obtained the proper attire to make a speech when accepting my award. That she also fed me the alcohol that caused my unsavory behavior is a strike against her, but I never said the woman was perfect._

_(from the personal journal of Sheldon Cooper, PhD)_

* * *

Sheldon and Penny were once again working on her schoolwork. Leonard was getting ready to meet his girlfriend. She taught night classes, so they usually got together later in the evening. He was just entering the living room when the telephone rang. He picked it up, but handed it almost immediately to Sheldon.

"It's your sister." He was a little put out that Missy didn't even greet him, just said to give her Sheldon.

"Hello, Missy," Sheldon said in a bored voice. He knew his sister and it usually wasn't anything important, just a reminder that it was a family member's birthday and he should call or some other such nonsense.

But when everyone else saw Sheldon's face, they all could tell it was not a trivial matter. He seemed to deflate.

'What-?" he said, then paused. "When did it …okay, what are they saying…okay, yes, of course... I will. Let me find out and I will call you back."

He disconnected and looked at Leonard and Penny. "Uh, my mother has been in an automobile accident."

There were exclamations of shock and concern. They both knew Mary Cooper and knew how important she was to Sheldon.

He stopped their questions with a raised hand. "At present, she is alive, but just barely. She is comatose and on life support. There is no estimate of when or if she will awaken."

Tears were forming in Penny's eyes. "Oh, Sheldon, I am so sorry." She wanted to hug him, but knew he wouldn't want that with Leonard right there.

"You are not responsible for the accident, Penny; you have no reason to be sorry."

"I'm sorry because you're my friend and you're hurting and I don't want that."

He looked at her, then nodded. "I have many things to prepare and I must obtain my airline tickets and…" He looked flustered, which was unusual for Sheldon Cooper.

Leonard moved towards his computer. "You go pack and do whatever you need to. I'll book your flight."

Sheldon seemed surprised at Leonard's offer. "Thank you, Leonard, that would be very helpful."

He headed to his bedroom in silence. When he emerged half an hour later, he had a rolling suitcase and his messenger bag with him.

"You're on a midnight flight to Galveston. You'll need to be at the airport by at least eleven."

"Thank you." Sheldon told him, as he looked at his watch. "As it already near ten, we should probably leave now, as the traffic may be unpredictable."

Leonard stood to get his keys, but Penny interrupted. "I'll take him."

Leonard looked at her. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, your girlfriend is expecting you. I don't have any plans, may as well get a drink at the airport."

They got into her car. She knew Sheldon was upset, even though he didn't speak. Or precisely because of that. He didn't mention her check engine light or her driving.

As they waited in line for security, Penny said, "Sheldon, I know you are probably upset and I know you are holding it in, but I want you to know, if you ever need someone to talk to or vent to or just sit with you in silence, you can always count on me."

His blue eyes were shining as he looked at her. "Thank you, Penny. That is very comforting."

He was being so nice, it was freaking her out a bit. She couldn't control herself, she reached up and pulled him into a hug.

As he had before, he put his arms around her and held her for a few moments longer than she expected. When they broke apart, she saw he was next in line, so she kissed his cheek and said, "Good luck, sweetie."

He nodded and walked away.

**Okay, two things:**  
**1. Since we are assuming here that Sheldon is NOT asexual (because what fun would that be?), we have to assume that he has now and had in the past normal sexual urges. So I would then believe that as a teenaged boy he would be curious about sex. Even after being disgusted at the brothel, he would still want to try it out and woudl also have the desire to fit in. It was only after being humiliated as he was that he gave up on it and on trying to please people. At least, that's my take on it.**

**2. As for Mary, please don't get mad at me. This is necessary and hopefully you'll understand why.**

**Thanks again for all the alerts and reviews. But remember, a writer can never get too many reviews!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Even though the other stories I've written were for House, I have never been good at the medical stuff, so please forgive me for any mistakes I've made with that.**

Chapter 15

_My mother. The woman who gave birth to me. All of my life, she had been there. She never really understood what I was talking about or what I wanted for my life, but nevertheless, she supported me in my desires._

_As I sat on that airplane that was speeding me towards my childhood home, I knew that I should be thinking about her and that she was probably dying. Might even be dead by the time I landed._

_But my thoughts kept wandering to Penny and the way she hugged me and offered her support that evening. Those were the things a worthwhile woman does for a man._

_Had I been …wrong to push her away from me? Could it be that Don Quixote's principles had no place in my life? _

_No, I could not accept that. I had been living by those principles for a very long time and I had only known Penny a few years._

_My thoughts circled back and forth between Penny and my mother as the plane headed towards my mother's impending death._

_(from the personal journal of Sheldon Cooper, PhD)_

* * *

Missy picked him up at the airport. He was about to ask, when his sister said, "She's still hanging on, but it don't look good, Shelly."

"It doesn't…" he started, but stopped his correction when he saw Missy's face. Instead he asked, "What does the doctor say?"

"He went on about brain activity and stuff like that, but he just doesn't know what's gonna happen!"

Sheldon sighed. He should have realized that his sister would be less than useless in conveying real information about his mother's condition. He decided to ask a different question.

"How did the accident happen?"

"She was just driving home from Bible study and some drunk driver hit her car right on the driver side. I haven't seen the car, but the police said it looks like an accordion."

Sheldon was confused for a second as to how an automobile could resemble a musical instrument, then understood that was the popular comparison for a vehicle that had been crushed almost completely. His blood ran cold at the thought of his mother caught in that.

They arrived at the hospital, where his brother and his grandmother were waiting outside the intensive care unit where his mother lay. His brother looked as though he'd been using alcohol to comfort himself in his pain. Not surprising.

It was his grandmother that pained him. At age seventy-five, she was a vibrant, vital woman. But now she looked old and broken. When she saw him, she stood and reached out her arms. He went to her immediately.

"Oh, Moonpie," she said. "I'm so glad you're here. I think she'll know."

He didn't argue with her, just let her arms go around him and felt her lean against him.

"Sheldon, a mother should never have to bury her child. It just should never be. Mothers should always go first."

He nodded. "I know, Meemaw."

He understood that should his mother die, his grandmother would probably not last much past that. The thought of losing the two women that mattered most to him in the world was unsettling.

The doctor came down the hall and stopped when he reached the Cooper family.

Missy spoke up. "My brother is here now, Doctor. Can you tell us again what you were saying?"

The doctor nodded to Sheldon, then said quietly, "I'm not seeing much brain activity. She's on life support at the moment, but if we take her off, I can't say how long she would last."

There were sobs from his sister and grandmother. His brother swore quietly. Sheldon held back all emotion enough to ask, "What do you recommend?"

"Well, it's your decision. You would know what your mother's wishes would be, whether she had a living will or not. But you need to know, she could stay alive on life support for years. It's your choice as to whether you want that for her."

"But if we take her off it, she'll die, right?" Missy asked.

"There is no way to know. In some cases, patients are taken off and they continue to live."

Sheldon nodded. "Karen Ann Quinlan."

"Exactly." The Doctor replied."

"Thank you, Doctor. My family and I will discuss this." Sheldon told him.

The doctor inclined his head and walked away.

"Who the hell is Karen Whatever and what does that have to do with Mom?" his brother asked.

"In 1975, Karen Ann Quinlan, a young woman, ingested a mixture of alcohol and drugs and experienced brain damage which left her in a persistent vegetative state. Her family decided to remove her from the ventilators that were keeping her breathing. There was a legal battle concerning it, but they prevailed and she was taken off the ventilators. She continued to live for almost a decade longer, although she never woke up. She ultimately died of pneumonia."

The other three looked at each other, considering this.

"So you think Mom will stay alive if we take her off?" George asked.

"There is no way to know if that will occur." Sheldon answered.

"Well, but where there's life, there's hope." Missy said, "If we keep her alive, and pray, she might wake up. She has a special relationship with Jesus and—"

"Oh please!" Sheldon spat out, "If Jesus cared so much for her, why did he let that drunk driver plow into her? This is not Jesus' decision, it's ours."

Missy looked at her grandmother. "What do you think, Meemaw?"

The older woman's eyes lingered over each of her grandchildren. "I don't know. A part of me doesn't want to let go of my daughter. But would Mary want a life like that?"

"No, Meemaw, I don't believe she would." Sheldon said. "And she would not want her children caring for her comatose body for the next ten or twenty years."

"You wouldn't be doing it!" Missy cried. "You'd be back in California, doing your science stuff. We'd be here caring for her. So why do you even care? Feeling guilty?"

"Stop it, Melissa!" their grandmother said, speaking quietly, but firmly. "This isn't the time to squabble over this. We need to think and pray over what the best thing is for your mother."

Sheldon watched his grandmother and siblings bow their heads and murmur silent prayers. He walked a short distance away from them. He couldn't join them in the praying, but he respected their beliefs, as misguided as he thought them to be. He used to the time apart to measure the pros and cons of removing his mother from life support. No matter how he weighed it, he could see no benefit in keeping her alive artificially.

After a few minutes, he saw the other three lift their heads and he returned to them. His grandmother stared at him and said, "Moonpie, you're the scientist. What do you think?"

"I think that Mom wouldn't want to live like that. And, since she believes in an afterlife, she'd rather be living with Jesus, than half dead with us."

The others looked at each other. Finally, they each nodded in turn.

The doctor was informed and he told them they could each have some time with Mary before they turned off the machines, just in case she went as soon as they were off.

They each in turn went in to the room. When it was Sheldon's turn, he wasn't quite sure what to say. He sat in the chair beside her bed. He reached for her hand, but was reluctant to pick it up. In the end, he just patted it gently.

"Mom," he said in a quiet voice. "I don't know what to say. I don't even know if you can hear me, but since the general convention is to say something in parting to you, I suppose I must. The only thing I want to say to you is thank you for being there for me. I know that you didn't understand me or even a quarter of what I did or said, but despite all of that, I always knew that you loved me. So thank you for that. I will miss you."

At the last moment, he leaned over and kissed her cheek, then left the room.

After they'd all spoken to her, they sat in her room while the doctors and nurses disconnected all the breathing apparatus. When the last one went off, Sheldon could tell that everyone was holding their breath, waiting to hear the monitor indicate that Mary's life had ceased.

They waited.

And waited.

But the monitor continued to beep. Her family sat there in silence for another hour, but Mary continued to live.

Finally, the doctor came in and checked her. He sighed, "This sometimes happens. You might want to go home and get some rest. She could go on like this for days or weeks or longer."

But they were afraid to leave right then. Afraid that she would pass while they were all home asleep. They did decide to go and get something to eat. Sheldon sat with her while Missy and George took their grandmother to the coffee shop.

As he sat there beside his mother, he really needed to talk to someone. Not just anyone. He took out his phone and hit the number.

Penny answered after about five rings. "Sheldon, it's the middle of the night – oh God, is it your mom? Did she…?"

"No. Not yet anyway. They've just unplugged her from life support. She could…go at any time. Or it could be awhile. No one knows. I know you were probably asleep. I apologize. I just wanted to talk to someone that wasn't my family."

"Oh, sweetie, it's okay. I told you to call me whenever you needed to. How are you doing?"

"I truly do not know. I have never felt quite like this before. I know it is illogical and out of my control, but I don't want her to die."

"Of course you don't. And you don't like anything to be out of your control."

"Very true. I won't keep you, Penny. They will be returning soon with some food, so I must go. I just wanted to…" He broke off, not sure what he wanted.

"It's okay. You can call me anytime you need to. I can't even imagine what you're going through. I'll be here."

"Thank you, Penny. Good night."

"Good night, sweetie."

**I know that some people might have moral problems with taking Mary off life support and might believe that her family would not do it, but I'm going with them deciding to. If you have a problem with that decision, I'm sorry, but it's important for the story. Be patient and you will understand.**

**Thank you again for all the reviews and alerts!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Readers, you need to be kind to me today. My other favorite TV show, House, airs its final episode tonight :( - so send me lots of reviews to cheer me up!**

**This one is a little longer. Hope you enjoy it!**

Chapter 16

_My life revolves around science. In my world, science is the most intrinsic part of the world or life itself. Everything can be explained by science. Anything that cannot has no value to me._

_I have been in a constant struggle with my family and, most particularly, my mother as far as their belief in a deity goes. I have tried, I truly have tried to believe as they do. It would be so very easy to put everything in the lap of 'God'. It relieves man of all responsibility._

_This is not a treatise on religion, however. Suffice it to say that I could not blindly believe in something I couldn't prove. _

_So how could I believe in love?_

_(from the personal journal of Sheldon Cooper, PhD)_

* * *

The Cooper family spent the night in the hospital, taking turns sitting by Mary's bed or out in the waiting room. Missy went to the cafeteria and brought back coffee – and cola for Sheldon – to keep them going. Meemaw dozed on the sofa in the waiting room, as they all did briefly at different times. They made sure that whoever was sitting with Mary would notify everyone should anything happen.

Time dragged on and nothing happened. It seemed as though they were at the hospital for months, while in reality it was only days. But Mary kept breathing on her own. That was it.

The doctor went in to examine her every day. After three days being off the breathing apparatus, he decided to do some tests. Once again, they all waited.

Sheldon was really concerned about his grandmother. All of this was taking a toll on her. He wasn't sure how long she could go on under this strain. Even if his mother didn't die, if she didn't wake up either, he didn't hold much hope for Meemaw.

When the doctor got the results of the tests he'd done, he called them all together again.

"The MRI showed there is some brain activity."

They all started talking at once, but he silenced them. "That could still mean nothing. She's still out, so I can't determine how much activity. Also, even though there is some, she could stay in the coma. Or she could wake up with anything from memory loss to severe brain damage. I don't want you to get your hopes up, I just wanted you to know."

They all reacted to the news differently. George and Missy started talking about what it could mean, asking each other questions that neither had answers to. Meemaw bowed her head in silent prayer.

Sheldon went to his laptop and started researching comas, brain damage and anything even slightly related to anything that could be plaguing Mary. At that moment, he wished one of his degrees was medical, just so that he might have some answers.

For the next few days, they stayed by Mary's beside, hoping that something would happen. When nothing did, the doctor convinced them to go home and get some rest. From then on, they took turns being at the hospital so that hopefully someone would be with her if she "passed" as Meemaw put it.

Sheldon always brought his laptop with him so that he could take some time to work while he sat by his mother. He didn't know how long he'd have to be in Texas and he couldn't let his work suffer. Every evening he called Penny and gave her an update on what was happening.

One evening he had just disconnected when he noticed his brother watching him. They were at home, Missy having taken the hospital shift.

"Talking to your girlfriend?" George asked him a bit derisively.

"Possibly." Sheldon answered.

"What's that mean?"

"It means she may become my girlfriend when I return to Pasadena. It hasn't been decided yet."

"Women! They always leave you hanging. Or else they cut off your nuts, chew 'em up and spit 'em out."

Sheldon frowned, not understanding. "I would think that if a woman removed your testicles in order to perform some cannibalistic ritual on them, she could be brought up on charges."

George just stared at him and shook his head. "Did Mom tell you that Cheryl and me are separated?"

"No, she never mentioned that you and your wife were estranged."

"Yeah, well, not having a job kinda pissed her off. Worse thing is she won't let me see my son. Just because I can't give her no child support! How can I give her money when I ain't working?"

Sheldon winced at the poor grammar, but experience told him that to correct his brother would not serve him well. His eye twitched with the need to, but he restrained himself. Instead, he addressed the things George had said.

"Well, it seems to me that if you continue to consume alcohol in the same manner our father did, you will never be able to keep a job and therefore not possess sufficient funds to support your son and your estranged spouse will continue to deny you access to him. However, should you cease drinking, find a job and keep it; perhaps you could reconcile with her and regain your home and child."

"Yeah just like that!" he responded angrily. 'You think it's easy to give it up? It's not. And even harder to find a job when you don't have a bunch of fancy degrees like you."

"I was not implying that it was easy. I'm sure it's extremely difficult. Anything worthwhile may be difficult to obtain. However, the longer you allow yourself to remain in this position, the longer you will be unhappy and the more you will have to complain about. "

George glared at him, then walked away. Sheldon shook his head. He and his brother had never really connected. He didn't expect anything different now.

A few days later, Sheldon was the first one to sit with his mother for the day. He walked into her room and plugged in his laptop, preparing to sit in the chair. He lifted his head to greet her, as they were all encouraged to speak to her as much as possible.

While still playing with his laptop, he said, "Good morning, Mom. Are you feeling well this morning? Of course you aren't, but Missy insists on us talking to you."

He glanced at her then and saw her eyes were open.

He jumped up. "Mom! Are you awake?"

She stared at him and he wasn't sure if she actually saw him or not. Perhaps she was awake, but catatonic. He moved to the foot of her bed and her eyes followed him.

No, she was definitely awake and aware.

"I'll be right back, Mom!"

He ran out to the hall and to the nurses' station. "Help, please, my mother…"

The two nurses glanced at each other. They'd been waiting for this. "Calm down, Dr. Cooper, we all knew this would happen. You'll miss her, but…"

"No, she's not dead, she's awake!"

"What?" one of the nurses said, shocked. The other immediately paged the doctor.

There was a flurry of activity, as doctors and nurses rushed to Mary's room. They asked Sheldon to wait outside. He took that opportunity to call his family and tell them the news. While he waited for them to arrive and the doctor to emerge, he made another phone call.

Penny was still in bed when her phone rang. She was ready to blast whoever disturbed her, but then she saw Sheldon's name on the display. Uh-oh, she thought.

"Hey, Sheldon," she started cautiously.

"Penny, she's awake!"

"What? What!"

"I walked into my mother's room this morning and her eyes were open."

"Oh, my God! That's amazing, sweetie! Will she be okay?"

"I don't know. The doctor is in with her now."

"But waking up has got to be good, right?"

'I believe so. Most certainly preferable to the alternative."

"Sheldon, I'm so relieved for you. So, do you know how long you'll be there?"

"Not at this time. We shall have to determine what the next step will be for her."

"Sure, sure. It's just, well, I miss you. I want you to come home. I really need to talk to you."

"Penny, I don't…"

"I know, now is not the time. You concentrate on your mom. When you come home, we'll talk."

At that moment, he saw his family hurrying down the hall. "I have to go now."

"Okay, sweetie. Call me later and let me know what's happening."

"Alright." He disconnected and greeted his family who were full of questions for which he had no answers.

They waited tensely for the doctor to come out. After about forty-five minutes, he did.

He led them to the waiting area and asked them to all sit down.

"Well, here is what we have: she's awake, as you know. She seems aware of her surroundings. However, she is unable to speak or move her limbs."

"She's paralyzed?" Missy asked.

"No, she has feeling in her legs and arms. I tested that. She is just unable to move them. Or to speak."

Sheldon spoke up. "So apparently she has suffered brain damage to the extent that she is unable to control her bodily functions, such as movement, speech, etc. But you believe her cognitive functions are unimpaired."

The doctor looked at him. "Essentially correct, Dr. Cooper. Although we won't really know if cognitive functions are impaired or not for a while. As she can't speak, it will be hard. But she seems able to indicate yes or no. One blink for yes, two for no."

They sat there for a few moments, absorbing it.

"What I'd like to do now is to bring all of you in and to see if she knows you."

He rose and they followed him. In Mary's room, the doctor stopped them from getting too close to her. He lined them up at the foot of her bed. Mary stared at them all, wide-eyed.

"Mary," the doctor said, "do you know these people?'

One blink.

"Are they your family?"

One blink.

"Are they all your children?"

Two blinks.

"I'm going to put my hand on each of their shoulders. Tell me yes when I touch the one that isn't your son or daughter."

He went to George first. Mary didn't move. Next he put his hand on Sheldon's shoulder. Sheldon flinched a bit when he did that, trying to control himself as he knew that this was necessary. But he watched his mother when he did that and he was sure he saw her mouth twitch. Next the doctor put his hand on Meemaw's shoulder and Mary blinked once.

"Very good, Mary. You identified your mother. Alright, one more test."

Since he was right there, he put his hand again on Sheldon's shoulder. "Is this your oldest child?"

Two blinks. And Sheldon was sure he saw that twitch again.

"Is this your youngest child?"

One blink.

The doctor realized he didn't know the correct answer, so he looked to the family.

"That is correct, Doctor." Sheldon told him, stepping away so that the doctor was forced to drop his hand from Sheldon's shoulder.

"Alright, Mary, you can rest right now. I'm going to talk to your family for a minute, then they'll be back in to visit you."

He led them outside again.

"This is very encouraging. She has at least a basic comprehension of her life which is very good."

"But she can't talk or move." Missy said.

"She can be re-taught those things. Now, remember, I'm not sure how much she really comprehends or remembers about her life and all of you. It's good that she knows you, but we'll have to wait and see for the rest."

"She knows more than just that." Sheldon told him.

"As I said, we don't know that yet."

"No, I saw it. When you put your hand on my shoulder, I saw her mouth twitch."

"That was probably an involuntary motion."

"No, she did it both of the times you touched me. She knows I don't like to be touched. She saw you do it and she knew I'd be uncomfortable."

The doctor considered this. "Hmm, if that's true – and I don't doubt you, Dr. Cooper – then her cognitive skills may be better than I thought."

"What do we do now, Doctor?" Meemaw asked.

"She'll need to spend some time in a rehabilitation facility, but it may not take as long as I thought to teach her the motor and language skills."

**There! I hope everyone that was upset about Mary is feeling a little better. A fanfic writer friend of mine told me you shouldn't kill any characters you didn't create. I don't always hold to that as I have done it in another fic, but since that show ultimately killed the character, I don't feel as bad. Anyway, thanks again for all the reviews and alerts and keep them coming please! **


	17. Chapter 17

**If anyone reading this also watched House, well, all I can say is *sigh* sad it's over, glad it ended well.**

**I know that everyone is happy that I saved Mary's life. It was never in my plan to kill her, just needed some drama for Sheldon. And his trip to Texas was only supposed to be one chapter, but it somehow morphed into more. Sometimes characters do not do what you intend them to do, but they ultimately know best.**

Chapter 17

_I felt most hopeful when I realized that my mother might not only continue to live, but might eventually be restored to the person she was before her accident. While my family was once again giving credit to a deity, I was of the opinion that my mother's own inimitable spirit was sustaining her. She had spent over twenty-five years married to a man who drank to excess and was prone to violent outbursts, yet she had survived with a strength that sometimes amazed me._

_Although I would assume that bearing a son of superior quality such as I should have been a joy, I realize that for a simple woman as my mother was, that might have been a challenge. However, she always managed to nurture me and did anything in her power to assist me in fulfilling my destiny. Her support was absolute._

_Perhaps that was the reason I had been unwilling to engage in an emotional relationship with a woman. I didn't believe any one of them could provide the same support that Mary Cooper could._

_And yet, in Penny, I saw the same type of unwavering belief and support._

_(from the personal journal of Sheldon Cooper, PhD)_

* * *

For the next few days, they concentrated on making sure Mary was physically healed enough to leave the hospital and move to rehab. Again, they took turns being with her. The doctor had encouraged them to talk to her as much as possible as it might help her verbal skills.

So they sat by her and talked and hoped that they would one day once again hear her voice.

Sheldon planned on returning to California once his mother was in the rehabilitation facility, since there really wouldn't be much he could do at that point. But he knew he had to make sure everything would be okay in Texas before he left.

His brother picked him up from the hospital one day and Sheldon knew there was something he needed to do.

"I'd like to meet your son." Sheldon told him.

George looked at him in confusion. "Why?"

Sheldon shrugged. "He's my nephew. Shouldn't I meet him?"

"Yeah, I guess. But we won't be able to. Cheryl won't let me see him 'cause I'm behind on child support."

"That won't be a problem. Just take me to meet him."

George shook his head, but he drove out of the city of Galveston to a poorer section and eventually to a run-down trailer park. The trailer he stopped at was at least fifteen years old and had not been well maintained. There was paint peeling – where there was paint. Most of it held a good deal of rust. The grass and foliage surrounding it were all overgrown and had definitely not been tended for some time.

George walked up to the door and knocked loudly, then called out, "Cheryl, it's me. Open up."

A young woman appeared. Sheldon could tell that she was fairly young, but she still looked worn out.

"What do you want, George?"

"I wanna see Billy."

"Not without child support, you don't. I can barely make it. I can't pay day care, so I can only work when my mom can watch him. He needs to get new clothes, I can't buy them, I…"

Sheldon interrupted. "Excuse me, I'm Dr. Sheldon Cooper, George's brother. I know we have not met previously, but I would really like to meet my nephew."

She eyed him warily. "Oh, yeah, you're the rocket scientist from California."

Sheldon let out a sigh. Why was his family so obsessed with rocket scientists? "Partially correct. I am from California, but I am a theoretical physicist."

"Well, I don't care what you are, if George doesn't pay my support money, no one is seeing Billy."

"How the hell am I supposed to give you money when I don't got a job?" George yelled.

"Spend a little less on booze and fast women!" Cheryl countered.

Sheldon was getting a twitch. He hated arguments. "Excuse me, once again. Would this do?"

He held out a check to Cheryl, which she took from him. Her eyes widened. "A thousand bucks! Whoa!"

"Shelly, what the hell?" George asked him.

"I want to meet my nephew. You are behind on your payments. I'll be returning home soon. This seemed the quickest way to achieve my goals."

"I can't pay you back!"

"Consider it a belated wedding preset. As you eloped due to your son's imminent presence and I didn't find out about your wedding until months later, I was unable at the time to fulfill the proper social conventions. Now, the child?"

"Why do you wanna meet him? You're not some kind of pervert, are you?"

"I most assuredly am not. What I am is a genius. And since that is the case, there is a possibility, despite his lineage and environment, that my nephew, who is in possession of much of the same DNA as I, has the potential to be exceptional."

Cheryl looked at George. "What'd he say?"

"Billy could be smart."

"Oh. He is pretty smart."

"Yes, well, if I meet him, I can assess if he is 'pretty' smart or 'very' smart."

"But he's only two. He can only talk a little."

"There are more precise means of determining intelligence than through language."

Cheryl shrugged, but put the check in her pocket before opening the door and letting them in.

"I was just getting him up from his nap."

She went to the back room of the trailer, while Sheldon looked for a place to sit. Her housekeeping skills were worse than Penny's. Finally, he sat gingerly on a corner of the sofa that was not strewn with clothes and garbage. Cheryl brought the child out and placed him on the sofa beside his uncle.

Sheldon looked at the little boy with dark hair and blue eyes. Billy observed the adult sitting there with curiosity. Sheldon was happy it wasn't a vacant stare.

"Does he have any developmental toys?" Sheldon asked.

"What? He's just got some regular toys."

"Oh, dear Lord," Sheldon muttered. "Bring me whatever you have."

She placed a small basket of brightly colored toys beside them. For the next half an hour, Sheldon interacted with the child and the toys, trying various things. Finally, he stood up.

George and Cheryl looked at him expectantly. He cleared his throat. "While I am not an expert in child development, by his understanding of basic principles and some that are more advanced, I believe that young William is of an intelligence beyond his age."

"That's good, right?" George asked.

Sheldon rolled his eyes. "Yes, that's very good. You need to enroll him in a good pre-school as soon as possible, buy him some toys that help with his development and read to him as much as possible, allowing him to see the words on the page as well."

His parents looked at each other. Cheryl said, "Um, We don't have the money for that kinda school. Or for those fancy toys."

"Well, for the time being, you can at least read to him. Go to the library for the books."

"Yeah, well, that's a problem too. See I dropped outta school when I was sixteen. And I didn't read so well when I was there."

"She can't read." George said flatly.

"I can read! Well, I can read some stuff."

Sheldon was amazed. He shook his head. "You need to talk to the local literacy council. They will help you learn to read. Or they will determine if there is a developmental problem that is impeding your ability to do so. Once you have mastered reading, you need to contact the local community college and get your G.E.D. Your life, and by extension your son's life, will be a waste if you don't.

"In the meantime, I shall purchase some toys that will help him and assist you in finding a school for low income parents that also helps the child's development."

He turned to his brother. "George, you need to stop drinking immediately and find a job so that you can support your family. I will pay for the first six months of Billy's school, then I expect you to take over. You have that much time to get your life in order. Both of you."

He stood up and looking at his nephew once again said, "Goodbye, Billy. I will talk to you again no doubt and hopefully you will have advanced as I predict. George, please take me home. Goodbye, Cheryl."

With that, he strode out of the trailer, went to George's truck and sat in the passenger seat.

Cheryl looked at George. "Is he always like that?"

"Pretty much. But I think he's right. Look, if I can dry out and get some work, could we maybe try this again?"

Cheryl hesitated before saying, "I'd like to. But you can't drink and go with other women and shit."

"I'll try. I want us to be a family again."

"Me too."

He returned to the truck, but before he started it, he turned to his brother. "Sheldon, I know you and me have never been really close."

Sheldon gave a breathy laugh. "That's an understatement."

"Yeah, well, thanks for doing all that. I wanna be the man who takes care of his family. I wanna be a good father – better than dad was with us."

Sheldon nodded. "You know what you have to do."

"Yeah, I do."

**Okay, I don't know if Sheldon would be able to evaluate his nephew that quickly, but I assume that if anyone could find things on the internet to do that, Sheldon could. So forgive me if I took some license with that.**


	18. Chapter 18

**One more chapter in Texas, then back to Penny, I promise! But Sheldon's family just really needed his help and wouldn't let him go.**

Chapter 18

_I have always been curious concerning the relationship between brothers. In movies and novels, they are often portrayed as each other's protection and support. A male relation who would always 'have your back' as stated in the popular vernacular._

_My relationship with my brother George was nothing like that. Growing up, I felt that he resented me and manifested this resentment physically. I cannot say he was abusive or beat me up as the town bullies were wont to do, but he enjoyed wrestling with me as he knew I would lose. He challenged me to sporting contests which were also never successful for me. As time passed, I came to realize that he felt inferior to me (as he should) and needed to prove his superiority in the things he could do._

_Once we reached adulthood, all of that changed. Any time I came home, he would simply ignore me. It didn't upset me. He had never been the brother who gave me guidance or protection. I expected nothing more from him at this point in our lives._

_But for some reason, I felt the need to be the brother he had never been to me. Mostly for the child, I supposed._

_I have never been overly interested in children. I assumed when the time came, I would feel a connection to my own progeny. But as I was not assured that I would have progeny, I realized that my nephew could potentially be the only Cooper to carry on my genes._

_Before we visited young William, I researched methods to determine if a child was advanced beyond his age. I believed I saw aspects of that in my nephew. Not as advanced as I, but much more than his parents. That he was doomed to be raised by them distressed me, but I could not change that. The only thing I could do was to assure myself that he would have the necessary tools to advance his life._

_(from the personal journal of Sheldon Cooper, PhD)_

Missy Cooper wasn't sure if she wanted her brother Sheldon to stay and help her with their mother or just leave and get out of her hair. He had been helpful at the hospital in deciphering all the medical stuff and he'd kept his head when they had important decisions to make.

But on the other hand, he was always telling everyone where to sit, what to eat and so on. Still, she was worried that taking care of their mother would all fall on her. Meemaw would do her best, but you couldn't expect a woman in her seventies to do that much. George was half drunk most of the time, so she couldn't count on him.

The thing was, despite how annoying Sheldon could be, she knew that if he lived there, he'd help her. That was his way. But could she convince him to move from California and back to Texas?

She came home from visiting her mother to find him on his laptop. She sat down near him and tried to just be friendly.

"Whatcha doin', Shelly?"

Sheldon rolled his eyes at her colloquial speech. "I am attempting to continue with my work despite being far away from my office.'

"So you can work here even though you're not in California?"

'Yes, temporarily at least."

"You know, Mom would really love having you here all the time.'

His head shot up and he stared at her. "Are you suggesting I move to Texas?"

"Well, if you think that would help Mom…"

"No, I do not think it would help her. How could it help her to have a son who was so miserable that he abandoned all of his work and fails in his quest for the Nobel Prize?"

"Oh, come on, you just said you can work here."

"Not in the same way and not all of the time. And what of the rest of my life? I have friends and a girl…" he stopped when he realized he was about to say 'girlfriend'.

But Missy picked up on it. "Now, you said you and Amy weren't going together anymore."

"I wasn't referring to Amy." He muttered.

"Someone else? Why Shelly, you're quite the Casanova, aren't you?"

"No, I am by no means Casanova." He sighed and rolled his eyes, before addressing his sister once again. "Missy, I realize that you will bear the brunt of Mom's care once she is released from the rehabilitation center. I do intend to help you, but I do not EVER intend to return to Texas on a permanent basis."

"Well, how you gonna help me if you're in California?"

"Once she is home, I will return and we will assess her condition and her needs. At that time we can decide if she requires a home health assistant or simply a companion. Either can be hired."

"And where're we getting the money for that?"

"I also believe we might be able to obtain a settlement from the other driver's insurance company. You'll need to retain a lawyer."

"I don't have money for a lawyer!"

"They'll work on a contingency basis and take a percentage of the settlement. Still, there should be more than enough to help with Mom's care. And if necessary, I will assist with the cost."

Missy sighed. She knew it was too much to hope that Sheldon would move home.

"So, who's your new girlfriend?"

"She is not my girlfriend at present. We are considering embarking upon a relationship."

"But you like her?"

He stopped and considered, then said, "Yes, I like her a great deal."

"Well, good for you!"

"And what of you, Missy? I believe the social convention is to inquire on your sexual activities."

"Haven't been too many of them lately, but it's okay. I'll be fine once I marry my rich husband."

"Who?"

"Don't know. I haven't met him yet."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying I'm gonna marry a rich man, have a few babies and never have to work again."

Sheldon was shocked. "But you don't know who this is. How can you even consider this?"

"I am not living my life like our mother. Scrambling for every penny and using church as a crutch to keep life worth it. Or George, living in a trailer and drinking myself to death. I'm not smart like you, Shelly. I don't have much going for me, except my looks. I'm going to use them to get someone that will take care of me."

"How do you know he will take care of you? He could be unfaithful, he could abuse you, almost anything could happen. How do you know he will be an honorable man?"

She looked at her brother and smiled. "Not many honorable men out there, Shelly. Not many men like you."

"What do you mean?"

"You're an honorable man. I know that. An annoying one, but honorable. But you're one of a kind. And not just because you're a the-o-re-ti-cal phys-i-cist."

There was amazement in his eyes. She laughed, "I looked it up to make sure I knew it right. Now I tell my friends that. Are you happy?"

"I'm not unhappy. But I am pleased and mildly surprised that you went to the trouble of discovering my correct title."

She smiled at him.

"Missy, I understand that you feel the need to find a man who will take care of you and give you a better life than Mom had. But I have come to understand that simply choosing the most logical partner is not always the best thing."

"Shelly, are you telling me that I need to fall in love?" she asked, amazed. "Are you in love with this new girl?"

"She's not a new…and I'm not…oh, hell, we are not discussing my romantic encounters, we are discussing you. If you don't choose a man who you care for, you will be even more unhappy than Mom was."

"If he's got money, I won't be unhappy." She kissed the top of her brother's head and left the room. He just shook his head and watched her leave.

"That was nice of you, Moonpie, but that's a lesson she's gotta find out for herself."

Sheldon turned to find his grandmother in the other doorway. "Meemaw, her only criteria for a mate is his accumulated wealth."

"I know. Tell me, what is your criteria?"

He hesitated, staring at his grandmother, unwilling to speak at that moment.

She continued. "I remember you told me once that if you ever got married it would be to someone of equal intelligence and logical and unemotional. And I told you that love was the only thing that mattered. And you disagreed."

"That's different."

"Is it? The thing is, you're telling Missy to fall in love with someone first. Makes me think that maybe you've fallen in love with someone."

He looked down and was silent for a few moments, deciding what he wanted to tell her. "I don't know if I'm in love with her. I don't even know if there is such a thing! And we haven't even really begun a romantic relationship, although we've been friends for some time. I find myself very confused."

"Love ain't easy, Moonpie. But it's worth it. And it does exist."

"How do you know that? There is no science that can prove its existence."

"I know that you're a man that needs science to tell him everything, but love isn't like that. And I know because I've seen it and I've felt it. I loved your grandfather every day since the day I met him. He drove me absolutely insane most of the time and I wouldn't change one moment of it. I still love him and miss him to this day and he's been gone almost twenty years."

"But you still miss him! That makes you sad, I know I've seen you pine for him. If I fall in love with her and something happens to her, I'll be sad. I don't want to be sad. "

"Doesn't matter if I'm sad now, I still wouldn't give up a second of being with him."

"But what about Mom? She loved my father and look how that turned out."

"When your mama can talk again, you ask her if she'd change things with your daddy. I can tell you right now, the answer'd be no."

"But they fought all the time!"

"She loved him anyway. She knew his weaknesses. She understood that he would never be the man she wanted him to be, but she still loved him. And she got you and your brother and sister. And no mother would ever change that."

Sheldon was silent. So many thoughts were going through his head. But his grandmother understood that. She'd spent his childhood helping him to organize the myriad of information and feelings that whirled around inside him.

"Tell me about this girl that you're sweet on." she asked him.

"I don't know where to begin."

"Is she pretty?"

"Well, yes, but that seems counterintuitive to me. I've never been led by mere physical attraction."

"Okay, if something happened, an accident or something, and she wasn't pretty anymore, would you still feel the same way about her?"

"Of course!"

She smiled. "That's my boy. So if it's not her looks, then what is it about her that you like?"

He thought for a moment, then said, "She's nice. Much nicer than a woman as beautiful as she is should be. She cares about people. She cares about me. She's taken care of me when I've needed her and even when I didn't know I needed her. She doesn't have an education, yet she challenges me as no one else does. When she's angry at me, I know I have to make it right. Because when she smiles at me, it's…it's, I don't know, just wonderful."

"Oh, Moonpie, I have been hoping and praying to hear you feel that way about a woman."

"Meemaw, am I in love?"

"Maybe. At least you're on your way. Take your time, but don't let it go. When you're lucky enough to have love in your life, you've got to embrace it, celebrate it."

He nodded and thought about her words. Then he looked at her and asked, "About Missy…"

"I'll keep my eye on her. I won't let her do anything foolish. You're a good man, Shelly, caring about your sister that way. I know what you did for George too."

"I did it for young William."

"I know. But helping Billy will help his parents too." She reached out and hugged him. "You're a very good man. Never forget that."


	19. Chapter 19

**Our trip to Texas is over, it's back to California for our favorite physicist!**

Chapter 19

_My Meemaw is always right._

_She helped me navigate my difficult childhood with wise words that always ended up being true:_

"_Don't worry about the bullies, Moonpie. Someday you'll be an important man and they'll still be here scratching their butts."_

"_You're not weird. You just see the world differently than everyone else. And that's what's going to make you succeed where the average people will just be average."_

"_Eventually you'll find friends. People who think about the things you do and understand you. And it will be worth waiting through all these lesser people."_

_And so on. No matter how bad things were, she always knew the right thing to say. As much as my mother loved and supported me, she didn't always understand me. Meemaw did. That is why she has always been so special in my life._

_When she advised me to pursue a relationship with Penny, I knew I had to try. Meemaw wouldn't steer me wrong._

_(from the personal journal of Sheldon Cooper, PhD)_

* * *

Mary's doctor determined that physically she was healed enough to be moved to a rehabilitation hospital. He warned the family that she would most likely be there for at least six weeks, possibly longer depending on how she progressed.

Sheldon called Penny to tell her that he would soon be returning to California.

"That's great, sweetie." She told him, but she sounded distracted.

"Penny, are you functioning in normal parameters?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just tired. Hurry home, okay."

"I am making arrangements immediately. My mother will be moved tomorrow and I will leave as soon as that is accomplished."

"Cool. I'll see you when you get home."

Mary was moved to the rehabilitation hospital and Sheldon obtained the next flight he could to return to California.

He made it through security fairly quickly, considering the Mexican peso in his head that always stopped him. As he came out of the airport, he looked around and saw Leonard standing by his car, waving.

"Over here, Sheldon." he called.

Sheldon got into the car and they started heading for home. Leonard asked about his mother and Sheldon updated his roommate on her progress.

"That's such a relief that she's going to be okay." Leonard said.

"We don't know if she will be 'okay' at this point. We only know that she isn't dead and apparently won't die in the near future, barring any further unforeseen circumstances. The extent of brain damage is still to be determined. As she regains her mobility and speech, we will see if she is unchanged or if there will be lasting damage."

"Sure, but at least she's not dead."

"Yes." Sheldon realized that his companions were most likely weary of hearing him speak of his mother's condition. "How is Penny? I thought she would come to the airport."

"Okay, I guess. She had class today. But I haven't really seen a lot of her since you've been gone. I've been busy at work and with Nancy. Besides, I think she's seeing Jeff again."

Sheldon felt himself suddenly grow cold. Jeff? That word hit him like a brick. Why would she? Why didn't she tell him?

He regained his composure as quickly as ever and responded, "Oh, that's very good for her I assume. They seemed well-suited."

"I guess."

Later that evening, after Leonard had gone to meet Nancy, Sheldon sat alone in his apartment. He wanted to go and see Penny, but he was afraid that she'd be out with Jeff or, worse, he'd be there. He just couldn't bear seeing her with her boyfriend.

So he sat there, contemplating what to do next and how he really didn't need romance in his life.

Across the hall, Penny had gotten home from school and took a shower because she felt hot and sticky and she assumed Sheldon would come to see her now that he was home. She waited, but he didn't come. She wanted to go across the hall, but she had promised she wouldn't pressure him. And what if he had decided that he really wasn't interested in a romance? She would just look pathetic. So she stayed home and waited.

But he never came.

She had thought that he'd missed her as much as she missed him. Those few weeks had been awful. Not only was Sheldon not there, but her schoolwork was harder than it had been and he wasn't there to help her. And one of the waitresses at the Cheesecake Factory had quit and instead of hiring someone to replace her, the bitchy manager just made everyone else take extra shifts. So she'd had to try to balance school and work and she was exhausted.

But despite how insane her life had been, she really just wanted to be with Sheldon. And she wanted to tell him that. But he hadn't come over.

The next day Sheldon and Penny ran into each other on the staircase. It was awkward at best. They tried not to make eye contact. Sheldon didn't want to see the rosiness of her cheeks that she always had when she was in a relationship. Penny didn't want to see the blue eyes that always twinkled so much when he was in the midst of one of his science breakthroughs.

"Hello, Penny," he said, keeping his eyes on the mail he had just brought up.

"Oh, hi, Sheldon," she said, searching in her purse for something to avoid looking at him. But then thought she should be polite. "Um, how's your mom?"

"Progressing as well as can be expected. It will be some time before they are aware to what extent her brain and physicality will recover."

"That's good." She said absently. She wanted to ask more, but that would involve looking at him and she couldn't at that moment. "I have to go. See you later."

She hurried down the stairs, out the door and into her car in a flash. It was only once her door was closed that the tears forming in her eyes started to fall.

Back on the staircase, Sheldon had watched her departure and stood in the same place once she was gone, wondering why she had been in such a hurry to leave. Was she so regretting her brief consideration of a relationship with him that she was now ashamed to even talk to him?

He continued into his apartment and sat in his spot. But he didn't turn on the TV or video game. He just sat there for a long time.

Over the next few days, Sheldon stayed at work as long as he could. It was easy to use the excuse that having been gone for over three weeks, there was a lot to catch up on. It wasn't a lie, but as there was no time deadline on his research, he could have caught up in his own time frame. Still, it helped him to avoid seeing Penny on a regular basis.

Penny spent those days going to class and working. And crying. She was extremely angry at herself for crying the way she did. She hadn't cried this much over a man since, well, ever. And she hadn't even had sex with Sheldon Cooper. Why was she crying?

Because she hadn't even had sex with Sheldon Cooper. Because he hadn't even given them a chance to be something. Because now he was just ignoring her.

The more she thought about that, the more she stopped crying and started to get angry. Okay, so he didn't want her like that, did he have to just ignore her? To pretend she didn't exist? Who the hell did Sheldon Cooper think he was anyway? He might be the smartest man in the world, but he had no right to treat her like that!

Her Nebraska farm girl determination kicked in. Who the hell did Sheldon Cooper think he was? He was about to find out what Penny was made of.

She got up and headed across the hall.

**Don't hurt me! LOL!**


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

_When Leonard informed me that Penny had renewed her relationship with Jeff, I cannot say that I was surprised. They were certainly well-suited and I believe she had a good deal of affection for him. I assumed that she grew tired of waiting for me to make a decision. _

_Penny has always been impatient._

_And in all truthfulness, I could not guarantee that I would be the sort of suitor that she desired. Jeff was an entirely more appropriate companion for her._

_I realized that she would now probably also reconsider her decision not to cohabit with him which meant we would lose her presence in our lives._

_I could attribute my depression to that thought – the loss of a friend from our social circle. There was no further reason._

_I was then determined to return to my work as the central focus of my life. Too much time had been spent away from it, between the situation with my mother and the conundrum over Penny. Now I could leave all of the emotional entanglements behind me and become once again, the man of science I was meant to be and nothing else._

_(from the personal journal of Sheldon Cooper, PhD)_

* * *

Penny knocked on the door, hoping that Leonard wasn't there. She wanted this confrontation to be her and Sheldon only.

He opened the door moments after she knocked. His eyes briefly met hers, then he looked down at his feet.

"Hello, Penny," he said quietly.

"Sheldon, I need to talk to you."

"Very well." He opened the door wider to allow her to enter.

Once inside and in his presence, her anger started to dissipate and the sadness returned.

"Oh, hell, I can't do this!" she knew she should leave, but instead she sank down on the sofa.

"Penny, is something causing you distress?"

She didn't answer, just nodded.

He hesitated before asking, "Are you having a problem with Jeff? While I am available for moral support, my ability to aid you in navigating a romantic relationship would be less than useless."

She looked up. "Jeff? What the hell are you are you talking about?"

"I assumed since it is Saturday evening and you are not with Jeff, that perhaps there is a problem with him that has distressed you."

"Why the hell would I be with Jeff? We broke up a long time ago. You should remember – kissing you was the reason why."

He once again avoided her eyes, remembering the kiss all too well. "Of course I remember that. But as you have re-established your connection with him—"

"Who said I did that?"

"Leonard."

"Leonard? I've barely spoken to Leonard since you went to Texas. Except about you and your mom." Suddenly realization dawned. "Oh, but there was one time, I told him… oh, geez! I ran into Jeff at the college cafeteria. We had a cup of coffee and chatted. He told me he met Jessica Alba at a fundraiser and I told Leonard 'cause I know he likes her. But that was it. I haven't seen or talked to Jeff since then and that was almost a month ago."

Those blue eyes met hers at last and they were intense. "You haven't reformulated your relationship with him?"

"Absolutely not!"

For the first time in his life, Dr. Sheldon Cooper was dumbstruck.

Penny watched him, emotions she barely knew that he had running across his face. "Sheldon, you thought…oh my god! Is that why you've been ignoring me?"

It took him a few moments, and when he spoke, his voice was hesitant. "I thought that you grew weary of waiting for me to decide. I couldn't blame you, as I know you are not patient when it comes to romantic endeavors. Also, I am aware of my deficiencies in the field of romance."

"Sheldon, I – I thought you had decided. I thought you didn't…want me. I stayed away so that it wouldn't be weird for you, but I didn't want to –"

She didn't get to finish because he pulled her into his arms and kissed her, his arms going around her and his hands landing on her lower back. Her hands were caught between their bodies and as he took her breath away, she splayed her palms against his chest.

"Sheldon." She whispered when they broke the kiss.

He swallowed. "I thought about you the entire time I was in Texas. And I thought about what would happen if we…did what we discussed. I thought about the pain that I experienced at almost losing my mother and I didn't want that pain should I lose you in some way. But then my Meemaw told me that no matter how much pain, caring for someone is worth it. My Meemaw is always right. I decided that I would tell you that on my return. Then I learned – erroneously as I now know – that you were once again entangled with Jeff. I stayed away in order to make the eventual loss of you from our… from my life easier to adjust to. However, it only became more difficult."

She smiled at him. "Oh, Sheldon, that's the most beautiful thing anyone has ever said to me!"

She leaned up and kissed him once again, then took his hand and led him to the sofa, where they sat down.

"Are we going to do this? Are you and I going to be…you and I?"

"If you are referring to beginning a romantic relationship, then I would say I am most desirous of that."

"Me too!" she said with a smile. He returned the smile, though his was only a slight upturning of his lips and there was a shy look in his eyes.

"Tomorrow I will draft a relationship agreement and—"

"No, you won't."

"Excuse me?"

"There won't be any contract or piece of paper that tells us how to behave with each other."

"But Penny—"

"No. A relationship between two people is a living and growing thing. You can't regulate that. We need to take it day by day. We need to talk about anything that bothers us. We need to let it develop naturally."

Sheldon's mouth twitched. She knew this was killing him, but eventually he nodded. "Very well, if that's what you want, I will acquiesce to your wishes."

She kissed him lightly on the lips and patted his cheek. "Thank you, sweetie. Oh, and one more thing. About sex."

She could see his body stiffen, but she continued carefully. "Sheldon, I know that you are uneasy with sex. But I like it. And if I have a boyfriend, I expect to have sex with him."

He considered for a few moments. She knew that it was best not to rush him. He needed to consider all the factors before making a decision. "I was aware that you would require a physical component to our relationship. I am prepared to undertake that."

"Really?" She couldn't believe her ears. Sheldon was willing to have sex with her!

"But I have my own caveat to that. I know that you are sexually aggressive, a 'big old five' as it were. However, it is important that I be the one to initiate coitus."

"Sheldon, it's sex. Please do not call it coitus. "

"Very well. But whatever we choose to call it, I must be the aggressor in this."

"But will you be? I mean, you've never shown any interest in it before." Then she remembered, "Although you did tell me you'd done it once."

"Actually twice."

"Really? If you've had sex, why don't you want to do it again? It's fun!"

"Because I did not enjoy it."

"You don't like sex?" she was flabbergasted. "You didn't have an—"

He cut her off, not wishing her to say the word. "I had the appropriate physiological response and while my body experienced satisfaction, the circumstances surrounding the act left much to be desired and did not encourage me to wish to repeat the act."

"Can you tell me about it? Can you tell me what happened?"

He sighed, realizing that it was necessary for her to understand his prior experience before they began their relationship. So he began to briefly tell her.

"When I was fourteen, my father decided that it was time I 'became a man', so he took me to a local brothel and paid for a woman to initiate me. She used her mouth on my genitals. As I stated, my body responded, but I was disgusted by the place and the woman."

"Fourteen? Your father took you to a whorehouse when you were only fourteen?"

"That was not unusual in Texas. He did the same with my brother, the difference being that my brother had his first sexual encounter the year prior."

"Oh my god. That's terrible, Sheldon."

He didn't respond, but waited a few moments before continuing. "My next encounter was two years later, just before I earned my first doctorate. In an effort to be accepted by my peers in graduate school, I attended a party. One of the women feigned interest in me and took me to her bed. At first I enjoyed the act, believing that finally I had become part of a social group. However, when she announced to all that she had won the dare and 'laid the freak genius', I became aware that I had not. I left and did not seek out another woman to engage in coi…sex. Until you."

Penny held back the tears. If Sheldon ever managed to invent a time machine, the first thing she would do was to go back, find that bitch and strangle her. She knew she had to be careful with him. Even though he was a man, for all intents and purposes, he'd been raped. He wouldn't see it that way, but that's what it was.

"Sheldon, she was an idiot."

"Actually, although the doctorate that she received was in history, she was highly intelligent. "

"No, I mean, she was an idiot for doing that to you. She had no idea what a special thing she had in her reach and she let it go."

He stared at her, his blue eyes intense and shining. "Thank you, Penny."

She put her hand on his leg and just kept it there. He looked at her hand, then lifted his own hand and placed it over hers.

"Penny, there is one more thing."

"What?"

"I would prefer it if we did not speak of our new relationship to our friends at present."

"Are you ashamed?"

"Of course not. If this caused me shame, I would not choose to participate. Whatever I chose to do is my choice and there is no reason for shame. My hesitation has more to do with the response that I would anticipate from them, most specifically from Howard. I do not believe that it is proper for a man to discuss a lady with other males, especially if they are prone to crude discussions of the couple's actions. I have witnessed far too many such discussions about their various companions. And as you have come up more than once, I do not wish to have to chastise them for speaking disrespectfully of you. It wasn't my place to do so previously, but with this shift in the paradigm of our encounters, I would be required to."

It took her a few moments to decipher what he'd said, but then she realized. "Oh, you don't like to kiss and tell and if the guys talk trash about me, you'd be in their faces. Got it!"

His lips tilted up in the slightest smile, but she could tell by his eyes that he appreciated her understanding of his reason.

They were silent for a few moments, just enjoying being together. Finally, Sheldon spoke, "As we are now in a relationship, I believe that we should plan a 'date'."

She smiled. "That sounds good. What do you want to do?"

"Next Saturday evening, would you join me here for dinner and a movie?"

"Okay, I can do that."

"In the interim, if our friends are here, we should refrain from demonstrating any signs of affection towards each other."

"Gotcha."

He rolled his eyes. "Penny, that is not a word in any language."

She smiled at him, then reached up and kissed him. Instinctively, his arms encircled her waist and he kissed her back.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

_Spontaneity has never been a happenstance that I find enjoyable. I carefully plan and anticipate any possible outcome. I prefer to be prepared in every instance so that I can act based on logic and intellect instead of raw emotion as most people do._

_On my way home from Texas, I started planning every possible variable of my next encounter with Penny and how we should begin a relationship. However, I had not anticipated discovering that she had re-established her alliance with Jeff. I attempted to avoid her as I restructured myself for this new paradigm, one that returned her to friend status, with the added knowledge that she would most likely leave our group._

_Discovering as I did that I had been given false information was unexpected. I would give Leonard a strike for that, but as he did not know that Penny and I were anticipating a relationship, I cannot in good conscience do so. However, I determined that I would keep it in mind (of course, as I keep EVERYTHING in mind) and on his next infraction would give him no quarter. He might believe it unfair, but Penny and I suffered due to his ill-spoken words._

_As I was given no warning of the change in this paradigm that would now allow Penny and I to explore an emotional attachment, I was not allowed sufficient time to recall my earlier plans as to how I would proceed._

_And this is the reason why I suddenly kissed Penny, with no thought or plan. _

_In the same vein, had I been forewarned, I might have come to the meeting prepared and armed with a Relationship Agreement and perhaps could have persuaded Penny to sign it. In my emotional state, I was bereft of the agreement and in a fit of insanity, agreed to proceed without one._

_Thankfully, Penny acquiesced to my request that we not expose the existence of our new relationship to our friends. I was unwilling to listen to their jibes about my sexuality._

_And that was the most difficult part to face. I knew that I would have to participate in coitus with Penny. She was not a woman who could exist without it, as Amy Farah Fowler was. Or at least, once was. Penny was sexually aggressive and would most certainly expect a physical relationship. I had already decided that I would acquiesce to her requirements on that front, even though I found the act personally abhorrent. Still, my hope was that I might find more pleasure from it when my partner was Penny than in my previous encounters._

_(from the personal journal of Sheldon Cooper, PhD)_

* * *

While Sheldon and Penny waited for Saturday and their first 'date', they continued on with the normal schedule for the week. Everyone got together on Monday for Thai food. Penny sat next to Sheldon on the couch and tried not to look at him too often. He had better control than she, but occasionally he'd steal a look at her.

When Raj arrived, Penny smiled brightly at him and said, "Oh, Raj, I'm glad you're here. I need to talk with you."

Raj waved at her, smiled and shrugged his shoulders while putting out his hands.

"Yeah, I know. That's what I want to talk to you about. There's this girl in one of my classes and she told me that she was really shy, like, painfully shy and couldn't talk to anyone. And she joined this group therapy thing at the community college where I go and now she talks to people and she's dating this really nice guy and they're even thinking about getting married! So, anyway, here's the guy's card that runs the group."

She held out a business card. Raj looked skeptical, even as he took it from her.

"What do you have to lose? If it doesn't work, you're no worse off than you are now. But if it works, you could actually maybe talk to women and get a girlfriend. I hate seeing you so lonely."

Raj moved his head back and forth and nodded. He held up the card with a smile and put it in his pocket.

Penny sat back, pleased with herself. Sheldon was staring at her.

"What?" she asked him.

"The odds of that actually helping him are very low."

"Don't be such a pessimist, Sheldon. It's worth a try."

"And a psychologist that works at a community college? How skilled could he be?"

"He only works there part time, to help the students and others that need it. He has his own practice and stuff."

Sheldon didn't say anymore, but he thought for a while about what she'd done.

"That was very nice of you, Penny."

She shrugged. "I just heard about it and thought it would help him." She turned back to the food and the group, but Sheldon kept watching her for several minutes.

On Tuesday, the guys went to the Cheesecake Factory for dinner. Sheldon found himself looking for Penny more than usual. But he didn't have to look very hard, as he seemed to sense whenever she was in close proximity.

Wednesday, after the Comic Book store, the guys came over for Halo. Since there were four of them and Penny had homework to do, she stayed in her apartment. Sheldon easily won the game, but somehow it wasn't as much fun without Penny beside him.

On Thursday, Sheldon helped her with her homework. Once Leonard left to see Nancy, Penny scooted closer to Sheldon on the sofa. He looked at her and rolled his eyes.

"Penny, you are supposed to be studying."

"Nothing wrong with taking a little break and making out."

He looked scandalized. "Making out? Are you insane? This is the time for studying. Our date is not until Saturday."

"Doesn't mean we can't make out a little before then."

"Are we hippies, Penny?" he shook his head. "This is why we need a relationship agreement."

"No, we don't. Look, I'd like to spend a few minutes tonight kissing you. You always seem to enjoy kissing me. But if you don't want to, fine, I'm not forcing you. I'll just continue to study." She looked back down at her book, but she could feel his eyes on her.

"Penny," he said softly.

"Shhh, I'm studying." She said without looking up.

He touched her arm.

"Are we hippies, Sheldon? This is study time. You said so." She said it without looking up from her book.

"Penny," the tone was condescending now.

She finally looked at his face and saw the slight smile. She let go the laugh she'd been holding in and snaked her arms around his neck as he pulled her closer and kissed her.

Friday was, of course, vintage video game night and everyone came over. Nancy didn't teach on Friday nights, so she was there, as was Amy with her new boyfriend, Edwin. He was a nice guy, friendly, but quiet. He was excited to see all the games that Sheldon and Leonard had. Most important to Penny, he seemed to really care about Amy.

It was nice to have everyone together. And Raj took a few sips of beer before saying to Penny, "I called that doctor. He thinks he can help me. I'm going to their next group session."

"Oh, Raj, that's great! I'm sure he'll be able to help." She pulled him into a hug, all smiles.

Sheldon was coming out of the bathroom and witnessed this. He went still watching them and his face was set hard.

She turned and saw his look. There wasn't much she could say in front of everyone, so she just told him, "Sheldon, Raj is going to see that doctor. Isn't that great? He'll be able to talk to women and get a girlfriend."

Her look told him that she meant someone other than her. He relaxed his face a bit, but she could still see the intensity of his eyes.

**Just another note of thanks for the reviews. I love hearing form you guys and discussing this story or the show with you!**


	22. Chapter 22

**Did everyone see Jim Parsons on the Tony Awards? He looked great and did a wonderful introduction of the best play nominees. And since he was sitting right behind Bernadette Peters, the camera picked him up quite a bit! Making me even more excited to see him in Harvey at the end of this month!**

**Here is the long awaited first date! Enjoy!**

Chapter 22

_In preparing for my date with Penny, the actual meal and entertainment were not a concern. I decided to cook, one of the many things that I am proficient at even though I only rarely do it. The trepidation I felt was for the physical aspect of our relationship. I had agreed to participate in coitus with her and had also, fortunately, persuaded her to allow me to initiate the act, so I was not concerned that she might try to convince me to move before I was ready. _

_No, my concern rested solely on myself. When Penny tried to kiss me and I rebuked her, she returned to her studies without a thought. But it was I who desired the kiss and it was I who would not give up until we did. _

_It seemed that I could control Penny's urges, but not my own. And all of this before we had actually embarked on a real date. How would I conduct myself at that time?_

_It was in equal measure perplexing, frightening and …exciting._

_(from the personal journal of Sheldon Cooper, PhD)_

* * *

Saturday night was, as usual, laundry night as well as date night. Sheldon arranged for them to eat dinner at seven, so that they could still do their laundry at eight, then watch a movie afterwards. Penny agreed.

Penny wasn't sure what to wear. It was, after all, their first date. Normally, she would wear something sexy yet classy. But this was Sheldon. She really didn't think he even noticed what she wore. And then it was also a date in his apartment, so it would be weird to be too dressed up. Still, she wanted to look nice.

She decided on a casual peasant dress in a bright pink color, with a matching Penny Blossom in her hair. She slipped on a pair of sandals and very light makeup, but made sure her lips were glossy and shiny. If kissing was all she was going to get, she was going to make sure they looked 'kissable'.

She knew that he was a stickler for promptness, so she made sure it was exactly seven when she knocked on the door. He opened it and smiled at her.

"Hello, Penny." He was wearing a dark blue t-shirt over a light blue one with dark grey slacks. Everything almost matched and the blue in the shirts brought out the blue in his eyes. She thought he looked wonderful.

His eyes roamed quickly down her body, then back to her face. "Thank you for being on time. Dinner is ready. Please come in and sit down." But before he turned to lead her in, his eyes grazed her body once more.

While it would have been nice to have him say that she looked nice, the glances he gave her spoke volumes.

She sat on the sofa, to the right of his 'spot', a place that had become hers. She saw that he had set the coffee table with placemats and silverware.

He was at the kitchen island, gathering the food. "I'm sorry, Penny," he told her, "I didn't get any wine and Leonard doesn't keep any here, only beer."

"That's okay, sweetie, I don't need any wine. Whatever you're drinking is fine."

"I have homemade iced tea. Will that do?"

"Sounds yummy."

He poured her a glass from a pitcher on the island and brought it to her, along with a basket of bread. Then he returned to the island, filled their plates and brought them to the table. She saw that her plate had fried chicken, corn on the cob and mashed potatoes.

"Sheldon, this looks great. Did you cook this?"

"Of course. It's my mother's fried chicken recipe. Fortunately, it's also my grandmother's recipe, so I was able to get it from her."

She tasted it as he spoke and her eyes widened. "This is wonderful! Sheldon, I never knew you could cook."

"I can do any number of things. I don't choose to cook most of the time, as it consumes time that can be put to better use working on my theories or reading my comic books."

She smiled, realizing that was so Sheldon. They finished eating, then went to do their laundry. When they finished, they returned to the apartment and Sheldon put his clothes basket in his room, then they sat on the sofa in 4A and Sheldon cued up the movie he had selected.

"Penny, as I realize that you enjoy romantic comedies, I have selected an excellent science fiction film that also includes both romance and humor."

"What is it?"

"The Fifth Element."

The movie began and Penny said, "Ooh, Bruce Willis, when he was still pretty hot. I can deal with this."

Sheldon stared at her, wondering about her remark, but he was silent as the movie began. She was also pleased to see the actress in the movie.

"Oh, that's Milla Jovovich! She was a model first. I've seen a lot of her ads. She'd beautiful."

Penny ended up liking the movie. She got into the story and the action and of course the love story. She laughed at Chris Tucker and was amazed at Gary Oldman's performance.

"Good choice, sweetie. Next week, I'll make you dinner and I'll pick the movie."

"Oh, Lord!"

"Have a little faith, Sheldon. I'll try to think about you when I pick it, don't worry."

He rolled his eyes and was about to say something, when he was attacked by her lips on his. He was expecting that she'd want to 'make out' on their date night, but he was unprepared her assault.

"Penny, please, for the love of God!"

"Don't you want to kiss me?" she said with a little pout.

"Yes, of course, but allow me to catch my breath."

"Alright Sheldon, let me know when you've caught your breath."

She waited, staring at those beautiful blue eyes while Sheldon took a deep breath and then pulled her into his arms. They kissed for a few minutes before she slid onto his lap to get better access to him. Once she was there, she felt his response beneath her and smiled to herself. He wasn't as inhuman as their friends thought after all.

She knew she could probably manipulate the evening for them to end up in bed, but she'd promised she'd let him take the initiative. So she continued to kiss him for a while longer. Reluctantly she broke away and stood up.

"I'd better go home, Sheldon."

He looked a little confused, so she bent down and kissed him lightly on the lips. "When you're ready, you'll know it. I don't want to rush you. But it's kinda hard for me to keep kissing you like that and not have it go anywhere else."

He nodded, then stood and walked her to the door. When she opened it, he followed her out to the hallway and to her door. She looked at him quizzically.

"A gentleman always walks a lady to her door."

She smiled then and kissed his cheek. "Of course he does. Good night, sweetie. Thank you for dinner, it was wonderful and I really liked the movie."

She went inside and closed the door behind her. He stood in the hallway for a few moments watching her door. His fingers reached up and touched his cheek where she'd just kissed him and then his lips. He licked them and tasted her lip gloss. Then he sighed and returned home.


	23. Chapter 23

**Glad that everyone liked the first date. Second one coming up!**

Chapter 23

_I was both confused and amazed by my physical response to Penny. When she kissed me, I did not find myself considering the germ transmission that was undoubtedly occurring. Instead, I could only ponder the feelings her touch elicited in me._

_As a normal heterosexual male, I knew what sexual arousal was and on the two unfortunate incidents, it had occurred. On occasion, I found release by my own manipulation as well, so I was not unfamiliar with it._

_But never before had I found myself aroused by a woman of my acquaintance being in close proximity to me. The problem was that Penny did not have to kiss me or even touch me to elicit that response. There were times when she only looked at me and I could feel my genitals stirring._

_Although I was still unsure about us engaging in coitus, inexplicably, I found myself looking forward to the event. The sexual act, with a woman that I desired and that entranced me to such a degree, would be a totally different experience from anything I had ever experienced before._

_As a scientist, it was important that I examine all that was in my path. I believed that if I looked at this as a scientific experiment only, I could control the situation and all outcomes._

_(from the personal journal of Sheldon Cooper, PhD)_

* * *

The week progressed as usual, with only a few exceptions. On Monday, Raj was absent and the guys told Penny that he went to the group meeting to help him with his problem. And on Wednesday, he also missed going to the comic book store because of the group.

But when he showed up later, he surprised them all, especially Penny who was seated next to Sheldon, by standing there, swallowing hard, closing his eyes and croaking out, "Hello."

"Raj, that's wonderful!" she said, her eyes alight with happiness.

Raj nodded, then whispered something to Howard.

"He said they showed him how to just start with one word and said in front of one woman. Someone he trusts."

Raj nodded again and smiled at Penny.

"Oh, sweetie, you trust me? Oh, that's so wonderful!" She jumped up and hugged him. "We'll be having non-alcoholic conversations in no time."

Raj nodded again. Sheldon watched as Penny was smiling at their Indian friend and said in an annoying voice, "We are late beginning the game. This will not come out of my bathroom break. Now everyone sit down immediately."

Raj took his place for Halo, while Penny returned to her place. As she did, she noticed Sheldon's eyes were blazing. She couldn't say anything, so she just smiled at him and sat down.

They didn't have a chance to speak that night, since Penny had to go home right after Halo, but the next night, when pizza was done and the guys were gone, she confronted him.

"Okay, what was the attitude last night about?"

"To what are you referring?"

"When I was congratulating Raj, you were getting all hissy. What was that about?"

"First of all, I am a scientist. I do not get hissy. Second, I was understandably upset at the delay of our game. That is all." He didn't look at her as he spoke.

"You were not understandably upset because I hugged Raj."

"Well, excuse me for not wishing to witness my girlfriend putting her hands on other men."

"Oh my God, you were jealous! That is so sweet."

"I was not jealous and I am not sweet."

"Oh, you were SO jealous and you are frequently sweet."

Sheldon frowned and Penny went to him, putting her arms around his neck. "Sheldon, Raj is my friend. But I know he's lonely. He wants a girlfriend. I'm very happy that he might be able to actually talk to women and make that happen."

"I am your friend as well."

"Yes, but now you're more than just my friend. You're my boyfriend. And if I hug a guy friend, it's just a friendly hug. It doesn't mean anything. But when I hug you…" she demonstrated by pulling him close to her. "…it means something much more. And it also makes me want to do this."

She reached up and kissed him. His arms instinctively went around her as well and he kissed her back, but he pulled away seconds later.

"No, Penny." He said.

"What's the matter? Don't feel like fooling around?"

He sighed, unwilling to tell her the reason, but unable to tell her a lie. "Unfortunately, I do feel like fooling around, but I must decline."

"Don't worry. I promised to wait. You can trust me."

"I know that I can trust you. It is myself that I cannot trust."

She stared at him wide-eyed. "Really?'

"I prefer not to discuss it at present. Suffice it to say that I need some more time to process the physical manifestations of the feelings you arise in me – quite literally."

She gave him a little smirk. Who would ever think that Sheldon Cooper could make a sexy joke.

"Okay, sweetie, I get it. I have a test tomorrow anyway. I'm going to go home, do a little studying and get to sleep early so I'll be rested."

He nodded. She leaned up and kissed him lightly on the mouth, then left. He watched her leave, then sighed and returned to the sofa.

On the following Saturday, their second 'date' night, Penny made spaghetti with cut up hot dogs.

"I'm sorry I didn't get more inventive like you were, but I had to work today and…"

"Penny, please do not apologize for preparing my favorite meal for me. I am very pleased with this."

She smiled, glad that he was happy with her food, though she was determined to try other things for him as well.

Once again, they ate, then did their laundry before settling in for a movie. After thinking about it for a few days, she decided on 'Kate and Leopold'. While still a romance, there was the whole time travel aspect that she thought might hold Sheldon's interest.

Sheldon was a bit vocal concerning the non-scientific aspects of the time travel story line, but for the most part he stayed quiet until the movie was over.

"So what did you think?" Penny asked him.

"While I do prefer seeing Mr. Hugh Jackman in his role as Wolverine, still, this was acceptable."

"He's hot no matter what he's in. He totally rocked the Wolverine side burns. But he's just as hot here."

Sheldon gave her a worried look. "Should I be concerned about your apparent interest in other males when you are now my girlfriend?"

"Of course not! He's an actor. And now that I'm not an actress any more, I have even less of a chance than I did before of ever meeting him or any of the actors I think are hot. Besides, everyone gets a list."

"A list?"

"Sure, a list of people you'd do if you got the chance. Movie stars and stuff, people you'd never actually meet, and your boyfriend or girlfriend gives you a pass to do them."

"Am I to believe that I am required to give you permission to engage in sexual intercourse with another man of your choosing?"

"Yeah, but only if he's on my list. You get a list too and I have to let you do any of those women."

"But I don't want any other women."

She smiled at him, realizing he was telling the truth and she found that incredibly sweet.

"So," she said, "You liked the movie?"

"Acceptable I said."

Penny was silent for a few moments, then said, "You know, I see you as Leopold."

"Penny, I am not a nineteenth century nobleman."

"No, you're a twenty-first century noble man." She enunciated the last two words. "You're honorable like he is and a gentleman. You're a scientist . You don't desert your ideals, no matter what."

He stared at her. "Thank you, Penny."

She shrugged. "It's just how I see you."

She was looking at the credits on the TV screen and didn't notice the way he was staring at her. So she also didn't see him bend down to kiss her. It took her by surprise when his lips touched hers, but she recovered quickly and laced her arms around his neck. As their lips combined, he felt his heart beating faster in his chest. And when she opened her mouth and touched his lips with her tongue, he thought his lips would explode. He pulled back.

"It's okay, Sheldon, it's just French kissing and it's lots of fun. Why don't you try it and if you don't like it, we can stop."

He nodded and leaned towards her again. As she moved her tongue against his lips, he followed her lead and soon their tongues were doing a fine and sensuous dance. His body started responding in ways that he was not accustomed to and he pulled away.

"Are you okay, sweetie?" Penny asked.

"I – I don't know." He stood up and walked away from the sofa, then turned and looked at her. Her hair was disheveled, her face was flushed and her lips were swollen from his kiss.

It was suddenly too much for him. He headed for the door and opened it.

"Sheldon!" she called out, "Where are you going?"

"I – I have to go home. G-good night, Penny." And then he was gone.

She sighed. She knew he was like a baby deer, but she had hoped they'd progressed enough for a little French kissing. Not tonight, she thought and headed to bed.

* * *

**I'm probably a little older than most of the writers/readers in this fandom, so most of my movie references will be as well. But I do love Hugh Jackman and he was incredibly hot in that movie!**


	24. Chapter 24

**Glad that most people seemed to enjoy the Hugh Jackman movie reference in the last chapter. He's one of my favorites. **

**Hope everyone enjoys this chapter.**

Chapter 24

_Penny surprised me when she compared me to the character in the movie we had just viewed. Of course if we had been watching Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, I could accept that. But this character was a romantic lead. That she found me on the par of a hero such as that surprised and pleased me. I was aware of her attraction to me, but on such a level was unexpected._

_I am not as delusional as Don Quixote. He saw Aldonzo, the prostitute, as his lady Dulcinea. He was convinced that she was the lady of his dreams. _

_I am a realist. I knew that Penny was not my untouched, pure lady. I had even calculated the probable number of lovers that had shared her bed. I doubt I was mistaken on the number._

_To say that this did not bother me would be a falsehood. I was not content to know that Penny had practiced coitus with so many and I was not initially anxious to join that number._

_However, my attraction to Penny was hard to deny and I knew that I would have to look past the number of men with whom she had been intimate._

_The beauty of Don Quixote's story was that at the end, due to his belief in her, Aldonza comes to believe she is Dulcinea and walks away a better person. I believed that my faith in Penny would do the same for her._

_More to the point, her faith in me would make me a man who would not only accept a physical relationship with a woman he desired, but would also excel at it._

_(from the personal journal of Sheldon Cooper, PhD)_

* * *

Sheldon followed his normal bedtime routine when he returned to his apartment. He brushed his teeth, changed into his Saturday pajamas and climbed into bed. He thought that if he did all of that, his heart would stop racing and he'd calm down and fall asleep. It didn't and he couldn't.

He tried counting planets and elements on the periodic table, but he had a hard time even remembering them.

He got up and went to the kitchen to get a glass of milk since that usually helped him sleep. But after two sips, he found himself unable to drink it.

His next thought was to watch a little TV – that might make him drowsy. He sat in his spot and turned on the television, deliberately choosing a rather tedious dramatic movie – no sci fi – so that it might make him sleepy.

But his mind kept wandering. He kept remembering the feel of Penny's tongue in his mouth, the feel of her body as she snuggled up close to him, the way HIS body responded to her.

And once again his heart was racing and he could feel himself getting excited. He turned off the television and returned to his room. He decided he needed to calm down first before he'd be able to fall asleep. He picked up one of his favorite comic books, one he'd read many times and one that always made him feel good.

But the pictures and words simply swam in front of his eyes and the familiar story was a blur to him.

He repeated all of the procedures again – bathroom, milk, TV, comic book, but to no avail. He was in an uncomfortably aroused state and he was unfamiliar with this.

It was two a.m. and Sheldon Cooper finally gave up. If all of his regular methods of achieving sleep failed, there was something wrong. As he lay there staring at his ceiling, his body continued to make him aware of the problem. Despite his better judgment, he knew of only one way to relieve it.

He rose from his bed, reached for his robe and put on his slippers. He left his bedroom, headed down the hall, through the living room and out his door, being careful to retrieve the key from the bowl before leaving.

He crossed the hall and stood before apartment 4B, but hesitated before knocking. If he did this, there would be no turning back. He swiveled his head to look at his own apartment door, but the thought of more hours in his bed while sleep eluded him was not enticing. There was something he needed.

He knocked three times, then said, "Penny." He repeated the action twice more, then waited. He knew she was probably asleep and he might get punched in the neck, but he couldn't help it.

She opened the door finally, a sleepy and confused look on her face. "Sheldon, it's the middle of the night! What are you doing?"

"I am unable to achieve my usual REM sleep."

"What? You can't sleep? Why don't you just—"

He silenced her when he pulled her quickly into his arms and kissed her. He moved the both of them into her apartment and closed the door with one arm, holding on to her with the other.

She pulled back slightly to look at him. "Sheldon! What are you doing?"

"Penny, I have tried every method I know to sleep. But my body is informing me that it desires only one thing. I desire you."

She smiled. Only Sheldon Cooper would say that he "desired" her. "If that's what your body wants, who am I to say no?"

But she could see that desire and the hesitation warring with each other on his face.

"Sweetie, you know I want you. But only if you want me. And only on your terms."

He nodded and kissed her once more, deepening it with every moment. He wanted …so much and he didn't even know how to begin.

Penny could sense his confusion. "Just tell me what you want, sweetie. We can do whatever you want, as much or as little. All you have to do is tell me."

"I – I want to touch you."

"Okay, you can touch me."

He reached out and caressed her cheek, then moved his hand down to her throat and hesitated, not sure of where to go next. Anticipating this, Penny stepped back, pulled off her tank top and stood in front of him naked from the waist up. Then she reached for his hand and placed it at the top of her breast.

"Go for it, honey."

He moved his hand down and eventually reached the nipple. She moaned softly and he looked at her in panic.

"It's okay, that felt good. Keep going."

He did and managed to caress both breasts, then his hands moved further over her body.

"Your skin is so soft, Penny." He told her.

"Sheldon, are we going to go all the way with this tonight? Because if we are, let's move into the bedroom. If you're still not ready, okay, we'll just play around here for awhile longer."

He looked at her and she could see thoughts and emotions warring with each other as they passed through that beautiful mind. He swallowed hard, closed his eyes and said, "I want to do it, but I am unsure how to continue."

"You can try what you'd like or I can guide you. Totally up to you."

He licked his lips and said, "If you could possibly help me, I would be most grateful."

She smiled at the way he said that. "Okay, then let's move to the bedroom and get comfortable."

"We can try, though I doubt that I shall be comfortable this evening."

"Trust me, you will."

She took his hand and led him to her bedroom. He was still wearing his pajamas and robe. She slipped the robe off his shoulders and threw it on the chair, then sat him down on the edge of the bed.

She reached out and slowly unbuttoned his pajama top, then pulled it off him. She tossed it to the floor, but when she saw the distressed look he gave her, she picked it up, folded it and put it on the chair. She pulled up the white t-shirt as well and immediately folded it and placed it on top of the pajama top.

Then she went to him and put her arms around his neck so that they were skin to skin. It felt wonderful to her. She looked at his face and could see wonder and worry on it.

"Relax." She told him, "We're going to take our time and only do what you want to do."

He nodded, then reached out and kissed her. He obviously liked it, because after he pulled away, he went back and kissed her again, this time deepening the connection. She could feel his anatomy responding to her and she wondered if he really was ready for this.

"Sheldon?" she whispered. He looked at her and nodded.

"I want you, Penny. I want…this."

"Okay, sweetie, let's go for it." She removed the rest of her clothes and slid into bed. He still sat on the edge and watched her.

Licking his lips again, he asked, "Do you have a prophylactic?"

"A what?"

"A condom for protection."

"Oh. Of course." She reached into the night table beside the bed and pulled one out of a large box. He was a little dismayed at the size of the box, but now was not the time to question Penny's life choices.

He rose, and with his back to her, removed his pajama pants and underwear, folding it quickly and laying it on the chair. She still saw only his back and thought, cute butt, but realized she'd better keep that to herself for the time being. He slid under the covers and lay there stiffly.

"Sheldon, we don't have to…" she began.

"Penny, I want this. I want…you. But I must admit to being a little apprehensive. What will happen if I don't enjoy it or, even worse, if you don't enjoy it?"

"Sweetie, I will enjoy it because it's with you. And I can make sure that you enjoy it as well."

"You can?"

"Yes. Will you let me?"

He swallowed again. "Yes."

She started by kissing him and this time when her tongue touched his lips, he opened them up. TI was a bit too wide, but she helped him adjust and soon they were locked in a tongue caress. As she kissed him, she moved her hands down his body. Always a quick study, Sheldon followed her motions and moved his hands on her body as well. But he stopped when her hand reached his erection.

She spent the next few minutes using her hand, then her mouth on him. She stopped short of his climax, but she was pretty sure he was ready for her. She opened the condom package and slipped it on him.

"Show time, sweetie," she said. "Tell me what you want, me or you on top."

"What would you prefer?"

"For this first time, I think if I'm on top, I can help you along. Would that be okay?"

"Yes."

Sometime later, they lay back exhausted.

"How are you doing?" she asked him carefully.

"That was…amazing. Nothing at all as the other encounters."

"I hope not! I'm not a hooker or a bitch." She almost said rapist, but held back.

"Of course not. But that's not what I meant. I experienced satisfaction both times, but felt no joy afterwards. Now it's entirely different."

"It's always different when you're with someone that you care about."

"That is true." He was silent for a few moments, then he said quietly, "Penny, would you be upset if I took a shower?"

If any other guy had asked her that, she would have been insulted. But this was Sheldon and she realized how far out of his comfort zone he'd just gone.

"Go ahead, sweetie, it's fine."

He rushed out of bed, scooped up his pajamas and almost ran to the bathroom.

She lay there and thought about what had just occurred. It wasn't the best sex she'd ever had as far as skill went, but as far as emotion and passion, well, it was definitely in the top ten, maybe even the top five. And Sheldon was smart. He learned quickly. She had a feeling that the skill would match the passion in no time and he would make it to the top of the list.

**Okay two things:**

**1. I know a lot of people liked that it was moving slowly and I was going to keep it going that way, but the characters had other things in mind. And who can win an argument against Sheldon Cooper? Well, maybe Penny could, but she was on his side.**

**2. I love reading sexy scenes, but I hate writing them. I have written them in the past, but always felt awkward doing so. I'm going with smut lite in this story, as another ff writer friend of mine does. I wanted to try to keep the T rating. Hopefully everyone is okay with that.**

**Thanks again for all of your love and support!**


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

_Despite my initial apprehension, I found that the sexual act was not as abhorrent as I had previously experienced. Of course, I understood that this change was a direct result of the fact that it was Penny that was participating in the act with me. I doubted I would feel the same with any other woman._

_And as reluctant intellectually that I had been on beginning this, my body had seemingly known better and pushed me into action. As a result, I was then engaged in a relationship with Penny that was both emotional and physical, something I had never before believed would occur in my life._

_It was as if a flood gate had opened. Once I began engaging in coitus with her, I was unable to imagine my life before this had occurred. I was as anxious to repeat the act as my male companions were._

_This was another reason why I was reluctant to reveal my changed relationship with Penny to them. I was not ashamed of it, but I was not willing to hear them comparing me to them as a man who was caught up in the pursuit of sexual encounters._

_Especially as I did not see myself as falling into their pattern. They were interested in obtaining sex at any cost and with any woman that they could convince to do so. _

_I was only interested in obtaining Penny._

_(from the personal journal of Sheldon Cooper, PhD)_

* * *

After their first sexual encounter, Sheldon and Penny started to build a relationship. They spent as much time as they could together, though they still kept the fact that they were dating from their friends. Normally Penny would have told a girlfriend, but she was uncomfortable telling Amy, as she didn't know if she still had some feelings for Sheldon. And she knew if she told Bernadette, Howard would find out and that would be the end of that.

Sheldon was uncomfortable with lying, but he was more uncomfortable with discussing his sex life with his friends. And since the guys were not about to ask Sheldon Cooper if he was having sex with anyone, especially Penny, he didn't have to actually lie.

They continued to make Saturday night 'date night'. They took turns cooking dinner for each other, trying new recipes each time. It frustrated Penny to no end that Sheldon was so much better than she was at cooking. But she understood that he was so much better as so many things and that she had to accept that about him if they were going to continue in this relationship.

They also continued to select movies with the other one in mind. He chose 'The Last Starfighter' and 'The Princess Bride'. She chose 'Romancing the Stone' and 'Ladyhawke'. They both needed to compromise and found that they could enjoy each other's choices. Not all the time, but most of the time.

Of course, not everything in the relationship was perfect or ran smoothly. She was, after all, dating Sheldon Cooper.

"I have errands to run and I will need you to take me." Sheldon told her one day.

She looked up at him, "Excuse me?"

"Is your hearing impaired? I said that I will require you to drive me for my errands."

"You know, I think there is something wrong with my hearing, 'cause I didn't hear a question."

"That's because I didn't ask a question."

She nodded, "Yeah, well, that's where the problem starts."

"Why is there a problem?"

"You didn't ask a question?"

"Penny, what is your obsession with questions? I have asked many questions. I have asked three questions in this conversation alone."

"You haven't asked the right question."

He looked utterly confused, so she decided to take pity on him. Just a little pity since he was so totally unfamiliar with male/female relationships.

"Sheldon, you have to ask me if I wouldn't mind taking you on your errands."

"But you're my girlfriend."

"So?"

"Isn't that your responsibility as my girlfriend?"

"No, it is not."

He shook his head. "Do you see now why we required a relationship agreement?"

"No, I don't see. We're talking about it, which is what we should do. And that is not my responsibility as your girlfriend. A boyfriend and girlfriend spend time together."

"Agreed. And we would spend time together doing my errands."

She glared at him and walked out of his apartment. He stood for a moment until he heard her door open and slam shut. He followed her and knocked his customary triple set of knocks.

When she opened the door, he said, "You left."

"Yep."

"Why did you leave?"

"Guess."

"I can't."

"Too bad." She slammed the door in his face.

He knocked again. With a sigh, she opened it. "Are you upset?" he asked her.

"Bingo."

"Why are you upset?"

"Guess."

"Penny, I am unable to guess. As there are so many variables to consider, the amount of time it would take for me to extrapolate enough data to form a hypothesis would be counterproductive to the discussion."

She realized that he truly did not have a clue. "Sheldon, you don't tell me that I am taking you on errands, you ask if I would mind taking you on errands. What if I had plans?"

"Do you?"

"No, but that's not the point. Sheldon, it's courtesy and caring about the other person's feelings. And if you need that person to do you a favor, you ask and say please."

"Oh. Very well. Penny, would you please take me to do some errands?"

"Yes, Sheldon, I'd be happy to."

He shook his head, wondering why she didn't just say that in the first place and avoid all of this nonsense. He almost said that out loud, but something told him to keep it to himself.

"Let me just change my clothes and get my purse." She ran into her bedroom and came out a few minutes later with a tank top and shorts on and started looking around, then returned to the bedroom.

"Penny, aren't you ready to leave?" he asked her.

"Just a second, I need to find my car keys."

"As I have told you many times previously, you need to get a bowl and place your keys there whenever you came home. Then you would always find them."

"Yeah, yeah, blah, blah. I don't have a bowl and the keys aren't in a bowl and I can't find them and all your lectures aren't helping me."

Sheldon sighed heavily and shook his head, then began a cursory search of the room. However, the clutter hid any potential hiding places for the missing keys.

"Penny, if we are going to spend more time together, you will need to clean your apartment."

"Can we table that crap until later. Damn, I know they are going to be in the last place I look!"

Sheldon stopped and stared at her. "Well, of course they will. Why would you continue to look for them once you locate them? That would be an entirely useless endeavor."

The glare she gave him told him he had better stop talking. He turned back to the search and she let out a breath. At least he was learning when to shut up.

The subject of her apartment's messiness came up again of course. She always tried to straighten up when date night was at her apartment, but in between, she usually didn't have a lot of time to clean. However, now Sheldon was spending more time at her place. Once he'd begun having sex, he found he enjoyed it and they didn't limit it to Saturday. Since Leonard spent most nights with Nancy, Sheldon was free to spend his nights in Penny's bed. Of course, that meant walking through Penny's apartment. And through Penny's clutter.

"Penny, I believe I provided you with an organizational schematic some time ago. If you would only…"

"Sheldon, I have to work, I have to go to school, I have to study and I have to spend time with you. There is no time for cleaning unless I let one of those things go. I can't stop working or I won't be able to pay my rent. I can't stop going to school or studying. The only thing left would be you. Do you want me to take cleaning time out of Sheldon time?"

"No. However, if you would permit me, I could clean your apartment."

She stared at him. "Haven't we been through this before? A long time ago?"

"Yes, but at that time I did not obtain your prior permission. I would not do it unbeknownst to you while you slept."

She thought about it. She knew that he was uncomfortable with her untidiness and the only solution would be for him to correct that.

"Are you sure you wouldn't mind?" she asked him.

"Penny, I mind the mess much more than cleaning."

She shrugged. "If you're up for it, why not?"

And so he began cleaning and organizing her apartment. In the end, despite her protests, she worked with him and it became a joint effort. And actually kind of fun.

The one aspect of their relationship that only got better and better was the physical one. Sheldon was an eager and willing participant. He researched sexual positions and other things to enhance their lovemaking. And just as Penny predicted, his skill level improved very quickly. As he did in everything, he was determined to excel in that too. Which meant that Penny had to stay on her game as well.

On one of their date nights, she came out of the bedroom wearing a tiny red lace nightie that exposed her cleavage right down to the edge of her nipples and was short enough to allow her butt to almost be visible.

He looked at her quizzically. "That garment appears to be insufficient as it does not protect your body."

"It's not supposed to protect my body, it's supposed to look sexy."

"Oh, so it is to signify to one's partner the desire to engage in sexual intercourse."

"Yes, Sheldon."

"Well, that's understandable. There is a correlation in the animal kingdom. Many species preen or decorate themselves to indicate a willingness to mate."

"Great."

"However, in our species, since the ultimate goal for both parties is to end up naked, it occurs to me that if you were completely divested of clothes, you could accomplish your mission and expedite the process."

She rubbed her forehead. "I'm not trying to expedite the process, I'm trying to make you hot."

He looked confused. "The temperature in the room is at a constant." When he saw her glare, he thought and then said, "Ah, it is intended to elicit sexual arousal in the male."

"Yes." She ground out.

"While I now understand the concept, I do not see the purpose in our situation. I experience arousal whenever I see you, no matter what you are wearing."

She laughed lightly. "You know, just when you make me so crazy that I want to strangle you, you say something like that."

She went to him and put her arms around his neck and kissed him. As his arms encircled her, his hand slid down the silk and lace.

"Hmm, interesting."

"What?"

"While I do not need this garment for my arousal, I find that this material does provide some extra response in me. As well, the sight of your body parts as they are revealed by the garment."

"That's the point, sweetie."

"Fascinating."

**Thanks for everyone's positive response to my last chapter. I relly appreciate the support of my readers. And I do try to answer every review. But if you aren't signed in I can't. So this is for "Nick" if you're still reading: I realize it probably didn't make medical sense, but as I stated, I am not an expert in the medical. The whole thing was done for dramatic effect, so I took a good deal of dramatic license. Thanks!**


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

_In an effort to appease Penny, I agreed to view movies the she deemed entertaining. To her credit, she attempted to provide films that she thought I would also find benefit in. I appreciated the effort, although not always the result. _

_I attempted to reciprocate by choosing several of my favorites that I believed might appeal to her. Once again, the results were mixed. I feared this might affect our budding relationship, however she seemed to be impressed by the fact that I had 'made the effort' as she put it to try to please her._

_I was at first confused by the application of 'sexy lingerie' as Penny referred to it, into the equation of our relationship. But while I could not see the need for it in order to initiate coitus, I began to understand that it was pleasant addition to the situation. Very pleasant indeed._

_I found myself learning on a daily basis of the intricacies of a romantic relationship with a woman. While I had met some of those hurdles with Amy, I never made the same attempt to stay in her good graces as I did with Penny. I began to understand the difference when emotions are included in the equation. _

_(from the personal journal of Sheldon Cooper, PhD)_

* * *

The four guys had just taken their usual seats in the Cheesecake Factory and were waiting for Penny to come over to greet them, when they noticed her in the corner speaking with another woman.

Even with Sheldon's Vulcan hearing, he could only make out part of the conversation through the noisy restaurant. He heard Penny saying, "..not my fault…that's not fair…can't we…" and the other woman saying, "…the rules…nothing I can do…"

But mostly he could tell that Penny was really upset. He didn't take his eyes off of her and was ready to get up and intervene. He hated to see Penny upset. But she ended her conversation and turned around. When she saw them, she approached the table.

"Sorry, guys. I had to talk to my manager."

Sheldon looked around her at the woman who was still at the desk in the corner. "Is that Jill the bitch?"

"Sheldon, shhh! She'll hear you. I don't need any more trouble tonight."

He looked at Penny now and saw that her eyes were red as if she'd been crying.

"Is something wrong, Penny?" Leonard asked her.

She bit her lip, almost afraid to speak, but when she saw Jill go back to her office, she said, "I had a table skip on me. And Jill is making me pay for them."

Sheldon looked confused, "Skip? While it may be ill-advised to skip in a restaurant, I cannot see a reason to make you pay for that."

The other guys and Penny just stared at him for a moment, then Leonard said, "She means they walked out without paying their bill."

"But that's stealing!" Sheldon exclaimed. "And certainly not your fault, Penny."

"Yeah, well that's not what Jill says. Every waitress is expected to settle her checks and if they didn't pay, then I have to. And they ordered a lot of food and drinks too. Around a hundred and fifty dollars. She's taking it out of my pay check. And this is … well, whatever, there's nothing I can do."

Sheldon saw how upset she was and knew that she could ill afford that much money.

"Look guys, I'm going to take a little break. I need to get myself together. Can you wait a few for me to get your order?"

"Sure." Leonard said.

She went to the ladies' room and Sheldon watched her walk away. While the other guys talked about what happened, he was silent. The he saw Jill come out of her office.

He rose, saying, "I'll be right back."

"Sheldon!' Leonard called, "Leave it be. You'll only make it worse."

"As you have no idea what I intend to do, how could you possibly know that I will make it worse?"

Leonard just shook his head and told him as he walked away, "You screw up her job and she's going to kill you."

Sheldon ignored him and approached the restaurant manager. "Excuse me, are you Jill? The manager?"

"Yes, I am. Is there a problem with the service, sir?"

"No, of course not. As Penny serves us, the service is always excellent. I understand that restaurant patrons cheated the Cheesecake Factory out of its required remuneration."

"Excuse me?"

"They left without paying."

"Yes. I assume Penny told you. I know you are one of her friends, but there is really nothing I can do. Corporate policy states that the server is responsible for each table and—"

"Yes, so Penny told us. While that seems to be a useless policy, I understand. I am not here to argue that policy, despite its ludicrous nature. I am here to pay the bill."

"Excuse me?"

"Do you have aural difficulties?"

"What?"

"Twice you said excuse me. Perhaps you need to have your aural capabilities assessed."

She shook her head, not wanting to get into it with him. "Look, Mr., uh,..."

"Doctor Sheldon Cooper."

"Okay, Doctor Cooper. That bill was one hundred and fifty-three dollars."

"I am aware of the number."

"Are you sure you want to do that?"

"I am always sure of any task I undertake."

She shrugged, "It's your money. As long as you think Penny's worth it."

He stared at her as he handed over his credit card. "Penny is most definitely worth it. I will require a receipt."

She took care of the transaction and gave him the receipt. He returned to the table just moments before Penny came out of the ladies room and went to their table.

"Sorry, guys. I'll take your order now."

Later that night, just before Penny was about to leave, she thought she'd try to convince Jill to let her at least wait until the following pay day so that she wouldn't be short on her rent.

"Jill, is there any way you could take the money out of my next pay instead of this one?"

"No, Penny, all outstanding bills need to be settled by the end of the week. However, you won't have to worry about it. It's been taken care of."

"Oh, thank you so much!"

"Don't thank me, I'm not responsible. Your, uh, friend took care of it."

"My friend?"

"Yes, you know one of the guys you wait on every Tuesday."

"What are you talking about? One of the guys paid it? Who?"

"The tall, skinny one. Must be nice to have guys like that in your back pocket."

"They're not in my pocket. They're my friends."

"Right. Look, Penny, I know about girls like you. Come to the big city from the sticks hoping to be a star and ending up as a waitress. So if you can't make your fortune in front of the camera, you make it on your back. Which one of them are you currently sleeping with? Or is it all of them?"

"What?" Penny was outraged.

"Oh, stop the innocent act. A girl who looks like you isn't friends with guys like that unless she is getting something for it. Don't get me wrong, I don't blame you, but don't pretend they're just your friends."

"They are my friends."

"Right, and you haven't slept with any of them."

Penny was silent.

"Thought so." Jill said and walked away.

Penny drove home and thought about what Jill had said. Did she really use the guys? Okay, maybe for WiFi and coffee and milk when she ran out. And she didn't always pay for dinner when she ate with them. So she'd slept with Leonard, but only when they'd been dating and now she was with Sheldon, so that was okay, right?

Sheldon. He was so sweet sometimes. He didn't need to pay that check for her. But she didn't want to take advantage of his generosity either.

When she got home, she went right to 4A and knocked. Sheldon opened the door.

"Oh, hello, Penny—"

She cut him off with a kiss. "Thank you, sweetie. You really are the best."

"Oh, I suppose your manager told you. It's insignificant."

"Not to me it isn't. You didn't have to do that."

"Of course I didn't have to. I am only required to do very few things. However, I know that you will need to pay your rent this week and I surmised a shortage in your pay would cause you a shortfall in your payment."

"You surmised right. But I'm paying you back."

"That isn't necessary."

"Yes, it is." She looked at him, biting her lip, "Sheldon, do I take advantage of you and the guys?"

"Of course you do."

Her face fell. "Really? You think I'm a whore who uses you for what I can get?"

"No, of course I don't."

"But you said…"

"I agreed that you take advantage. To 'take advantage' is to see something that is advantageous to oneself and making use of it. We have knowledge, food, and WIFI, among other things that are necessary to your life and you make use of those things. It's perfectly logical for you to do that. You aren't a 'whore' because that would imply that you exchange sexual favors for those things. "

"I slept with Leonard and now I'm sleeping with you!"

He twitched uncomfortably as he did whenever the subject of sex was brought up and especially her prior relationship with his roommate.

"You were not seeking material benefits when engaged in a sexual relationship with Leonard, nor presently with myself. And you have not been so involved with Howard or Raj. And as you have nothing else of value to exchange, there is no prostitution involved here."

Her eyes started to fill now. "I have nothing of value to bring to our group?"

"I didn't say that either. Lord, woman, how you turn my words around. I said you have nothing to exchange, no money or skills. What you bring to the group is quite different."

"What do I bring?"

He hesitated, uneasy about expressing his feelings to her like this. But he could see she was distressed and knew that as her boyfriend, it was his duty to reassure her.

"You bring your smile."

"That's it? My smile?"

"Penny, do you not understand how important your smile is? To see you smile is on par with seeing the sunrise or a star go super nova. Your smile brightens the room and makes everyone feel better.'

There were tears in her eyes again, but this time they were happy tears. She put her arms around him again.

"Thank you, Sheldon. You really are the sweetest guy, aren't you?"

"Penny, I am not sweet."

"You are to me."

**Just a note: I am ignoring the incident of Penny and Raj in bed becaseu I think it was really stupid. So there!**


	27. Chapter 27

**Seems as though most people agreed with me about the Penny and Raj thing! And it's unanimous, we all think Sheldon is a sweetie! I got a wonderful amount of reviews on the last chapter and I want you all to know how much I appreciate that!**

Chapter 27

_When I was growing up in Texas, money was no object. That was due to the fact that we did not have any. When he did work, my father didn't make very much money. As his drinking got worse, those days became fewer and fewer. It was up to my mother to ensure our well-being. She taught us to live within our means and to share what we had with the less fortunate. She would often say, "No matter how bad you have it, there's always someone worse off. And the good Lord wants you to help them that need you." It was the only part of her religion that I did not consider hokum._

_While Penny was not precisely less fortunate, she was certainly often in need. It was neither a hardship to me, nor charity that led me to help Penny financially. She needed money, I had money._

_I live well within my means. I have been fortunate enough to obtain a good job. Actually, fortune had little to do with it. It was my superior intellect. Nevertheless, my income was more than sufficient for me to pay my expenses and buy comic books. Why shouldn't I help Penny with her difficulties?_

_Penny believed she might be taking advantage of us. While essentially that might be true, I preferred to consider it a mutually beneficial arrangement. We provided food and WIFI and she helped us to navigate awkward social situations._

_But there was also her smile._

_(from the personal journal of Sheldon Cooper, PhD)_

* * *

Penny was surprised to see Leonard at her door.

"Hi!" she said as she let him in, "What's up?"

"I kinda wanted to talk to you about something."

"Okay." She said cautiously, a little worried. What was this about?

"And you don't have to tell me if you don't want, but I wanted to ask if, um, you and, um, Sheldon…if, um, well, is there something going on between you two?"

Penny just stared at him. How did he know? "Uh, why do you ask?"

"You guys spend a lot of time together."

"Of course, we do! He's been helping me with my schoolwork. I don't know how I'd ever pass any of my classes without him."

"And you haven't dated anyone since you broke up with Jeff."

"I'm way too busy, between studying and working and trying to keep my bitch of a manager happy. Better not to date anyone right now."

"I guess." He tilted his head in that way that he had, an action that used to annoy her when they were dating, but she now found rather endearing. It was so Leonard.

"Leonard, where is all this coming from? Has…Sheldon said something to you?"

"No, no, of course not. You know Sheldon, he never talks about his feelings. But, it's just, well, he's been different."

"Different how?"

"I can't put my finger on it, but he seems a little happier, a little more relaxed."

"He does, huh?"

"And then there's the way his eyes light up when you walk in."

She bit her lip to not smile at that. "How do they light up?'

"The same way yours are now."

She opened her mouth, but she didn't know what to say.

"Penny, it's okay. You and I haven't been together for a long time. I mean, we were good, but now, with Nancy, well, I get what you were looking for."

She smiled at him. "I'm happy for you, Leonard."

"Thanks. So, you and Sheldon?"

She shrugged and nodded.

He shook his head. "Hard to believe, but strangely, it's not."

"What do you mean?"

"You two always connected in a weird way. In fact, you're the only one he's ever really connected with."

"Look, he doesn't want everyone to know right now."

"No problem. I won't say a word. Are you sure you want to do this? He's pretty crazy."

"Everyone is. The thing is, most people know how to hide it. Sheldon puts it all out there. Which can be annoying, but it's also refreshing. You always know where you stand with him."

"Hey, I'm not trying to talk you out it! I always assumed I'd have to build a rubber room for him wherever I lived. If you want to take care of him from now on, you have my blessing. You realize you're going to have to be his normal person in the world."

"I know. I don't mind."

He tilted his head. "Are you in love with him?"

She sighed, working on that bottom lip some more, before nodding.

"Wow. Unbelievable." He reached over and gave her a hug. "Good luck, Penny. You're gonna need it."

With that, he left.

The next time Penny saw Sheldon, she told him, "Leonard knows."

"Penny, please be more specific. While he may be only an experimental physicist, Leonard still knows many things. Not as much as I do, obviously, but still…"

"No, I mean he knows about us." When she saw him about to start spouting things off again, she quickly added, "About our relationship."

"Oh. Is that a problem?"

"No, he said he's good with it. I asked him not to tell and he promised not to."

"Then why are you agitated?"

"Well, you were the one who didn't want the guys to know. Leonard said he wouldn't blab, but still, it's bound to get out now."

"Ah."

"Which means that I need to talk to Amy."

"Amy? Why?"

"Because I don't want her to hear it from someone else."

"Why should it matter?"

"You were her boyfriend and I'm her best friend. You don't do that. It's sort of in the friend code. You don't date your friend's ex."

He looked perplexed. "But you said Leonard was 'good with it'. Shouldn't he also be upset that his friend is dating his ex?"

"You'd think so, but he said he was fine. He's pretty crazy about Nancy, so I think that helps."

Sheldon nodded. "They are extremely well suited to each other."

"Yeah. So now I have to bite the bullet and tell Amy."

* * *

Penny wasn't sure how to tell Amy about her relationship with Sheldon. Sure, they'd broken up some time ago and Amy had been the one to end it. Not to mention, she now had a new boyfriend that she seemed to like a lot. But still, there was the girlfriend code: you didn't go for your friend's ex.

But lying to her was not cool either. So she texted her and invited her over for a girls' night. When Amy accepted, Penny let Sheldon know that she wouldn't be seeing him that night.

Amy arrived precisely on time – of course. She was really so much like Sheldon in so many ways. Maybe that's why Penny had always had a strange affection for the girl.

They settled down on her sofa with glasses of wine and Penny started with small talk.

"So how is everything going, Ames? I've been so busy with school and…other things, I haven't had a chance to catch up with you."

"Everything is fine." Amy responded. "My work is progressing at a reasonable rate, as I have been able to…"

Penny zoned out as Amy went into a lengthy explanation of her experiments with monkeys and brains. Or maybe it was monkeys' brains. Penny didn't know and didn't really care.

"That's great!" Penny bit her lip and decided she should just jump into it. "Um, Amy, there's something I need to tell you."

Amy looked worried. "You're ill? If you need a transplant, feel free to take any of my organs!"

"No, that's not, um, thanks, but no, nothing like that. The thing is, I've, um, kind of been seeing Sheldon."

Confused, Amy said, "Well, of course you see him. You live across the hall and you visit their apartment frequently."

"No, not like that. I mean, we've been dating. We're …a couple."

"Oh."

"Look, Amy, I know it's not what girlfriends do. You don't go for your best friend's ex. I know that. It's just that, well…" she broke off, not sure what to say next.

Amy was silent, obviously thinking about it.

After a few minutes of the silence, Penny said, "Amy, please talk to me. Tell me what you're feeling. Yell at me, tell me you hate me, anything!"

Amy looked at her then. "How can I be angry at you? And how could any man resist you with that alabaster skin and hair like spun gold?"

"Yeah, thanks, but you can tell me if you're upset."

Silence again for a few moments before Amy said, "Honestly, Penny, there was never really anything romantic between Sheldon and myself. And when we were together, I often wondered why he was with me when he had a goddess living across the hall from him."

"Are you sure you're okay with this?"

"Yes, I'm sure. I think I always realized that he wanted you. And how could anyone not?"

Penny rolled her eyes, but smiled at Amy.

"At any rate," Amy continued, "I am celebrating my own sexual renaissance."

"What would that be?" Penny asked her.

"Edwin and I." She said with a smug look.

"Wait, what? You and Edwin? Have you…"

"Yes, we have."

"Oh, my God! Amy! How was it? I want details!"

"Well, it was as exhilarating as I always believed it would be. When his penis—"

"Uh, Amy, you don't have to give that much detail. Just saying it was great is plenty."

"It was great!"

"I'm so happy for you, Ames! He seems like a great guy and you deserve to be happy."

They chatted for a bit more about Edwin and some other things. Then Amy said, "Penny may I ask you something?"

"Of course!"

"Well, I am assuming that you and Sheldon have engaged in sexual intercourse?"

"Uh, yeah."

"How is it?"

"Amy…"

"I would just like to know what I missed out on."

"Amy, that's hard to say. "

"It shouldn't be. You only need to provide details as to Sheldon's sexual performance with you."

"It's different for each couple. For instance, you and Edwin – was it good for the two of you?"

"Oh, yes, excellent!"

"Okay, well, say I slept with Edwin –"

"Have you?"

"No, of course not, but just suppose I did—"

"Well, I'd rather you didn't, but if you really want to. Tell me, would this be a threesome? Because I could totally get behind that."

Penny just looked at her. "Uh, no, no threesome."

"Well, then could I watch?"

"No, Amy…"

"That doesn't seem quite fair. You're having sex with my boyfriend and I'm not even permitted to watch."

"Amy, I am not having sex with your boyfriend. This is hypothetical."

"Oh." Amy looked a little disappointed. "Very well, continue."

"Alright, so you and Edwin are great, but that doesn't mean that Edwin and I would be great. It's a matter of chemistry between people."

"Chemistry?"

"Yes, you have the right chemistry with Edwin and it makes sex between the two of you great. But if it were me and Edwin, it wouldn't be that good. It's the same thing with Sheldon. He and I just, I don't know…belong together, so the sex is fantastic. Do you understand?"

"Yes. You're saying he's terrific and I missed the boat. That's okay. If anyone gets to enjoy awesome sex, it should be you."

"But you're having awesome sex with Edwin, right?"

"Oh, yes!"

"Then that's all that matters. I love you Ames, I want you to be happy."

Amy smiled at her friend. "Well now that you are dating Sheldon, we could go on double dates."

"Sure, sure. Sheldon is just keeping it from the guys. Leonard found out, but he promised to keep it quiet. Mostly I think he doesn't want Howard to hear."

"Of course, mum's the word!"

* * *

Even though Leonard agreed to keep their relationship from the other guys, there was no way he was not going to talk to Sheldon about it.

"So, you and Penny, huh?"

Sheldon was inclined to act as though he didn't know what his roommate was talking about, but as he didn't like to lie and it would have been a useless endeavor anyway, he simply said, "Yes."

"You know, it's not really cool to go for your best friend's ex."

"I am aware of the social convention involved. However, Penny indicated that you were not distressed by it."

"Well, yeah, I mean, I am with Nancy now, but still, you have to admit that it's a little weird."

Sheldon sighed, "Leonard, at the time that I decided to embark on a romantic relationship with Penny, I understood that it might upset you and also that the situation might be awkward. I knew all of the complications that might arise from it. I took none of that into consideration."

"Really? You didn't care if it upset me or affected our friendship?"

"It was inconsequential, as my desire for Penny far outweighed those considerations."

He stood up and walked to the other side of the room. "Leonard, you have known me longer than anyone save my family and most likely know me better that they do, as I have not lived with them since I was twelve. In all of that time, have you ever known me to be overwhelmed by emotion?"

"No."

"Exactly."

Leonard stared at him. "Wow. Are you in love with her?"

"As I am not aware of how to determine that. I cannot give you an answer."

Leonard was silent, considering that when Sheldon spoke up again. "How would I know if I am?"

"That's hard to say, Sheldon. It's different for everyone."

"Well, that seems deliberately vague."

"Okay, well, how about this: think about how often you think about her during the day when you're not with her. Think about how you feel when you do see her, how much you want to be with her. Think about her faults and how they don't really bother you all that much. When you've evaluated all of that, you might be able to figure out if you love her or not."

"Oh, good Lord."

Leonard smiled. "Yeah, that's what I thought. Are you going to tell her?"

"No, of course not."

"Why not?"

"You told her that and your relationship ended."

"That was different. I was too fast with it and she wasn't feeling it."

"I don't know if she is feeling it now either and I don't want to jeopardize this relationship."

Leonard knew it wasn't his place to tell Sheldon that Penny felt the same way, but he hoped his friend didn't wait too long to let her know.

**Heading to NY Friday morning for the weekend, so I won't be able to post until at least Monday. But I will be seeing Jim Parsons in Harvey on Saturday afternoon - YAY! Fingers crossed that I get a picture with Jim! Will update all of you when I next post. And I promise to get some writing done on the bus ride - two hours each way. **


	28. Chapter 28

**Sorry for the delay. This has been a tiring week and while I have other chapters completed, this one was not. It's also a transitional chapter with not a whole lot happening and they are the hardest to write. So forgive me, but I am back on schedule now.**

**For anyone interested in finding out about my NYC trip, I have details at the end, so I don't bother those who couldn't care less.**

Chapter 28

_I wasn't entirely pleased that Leonard had discovered the details of my altered relationship with Penny, but it did help to discuss the intricacies of a romantic relationship with him._

_The revelation that I was in love with Penny was quite a shock to me. Although I had developed an emotional attachment to her, I had believed that I would be able to keep it under control. To keep strong feelings out of the equation. _

_I soon discovered that to be a forlorn hope. Penny consumed me. I was no longer the man of science who did not allow the distraction of emotions to soil the purity of his life. I was no longer Don Quixote, loving from afar._

_I was involved in a carnal relationship with a woman that I was head over heels in love with. I would give up almost anything in my life for her._

_What had I come to?_

_(from the personal journal of Sheldon Cooper, PhD)_

* * *

May turned out to be a very busy month. Penny finished her first year of school. Originally she was going to take summer classes, but she really needed the money from working. She had worked less hours to go to school and her bills were behind because of it. Jill, her new manager at the restaurant, was not very understanding of her schedule and when she couldn't work, she didn't try to give her a different day, she just cut her hours.

But lately, she'd been working more, since someone had quit and Jill hadn't hired anyone to replace her. She just increased everyone else's hours. Penny didn't mind it too much since she needed the money, but it did impede her time with Sheldon and he was not happy about that.

"Only one more year of school, sweetie, then I can get a real job and quit being a waitress."

"It can't come too soon for me. Except … who will serve my Tuesday night cheeseburger?"

"I don't know, but it won't be me."

He looked distressed, so she quickly added, "How about this: I'll get the recipe from the chef and make it for you myself on Tuesdays?"

"That might be acceptable."

The group of friends still got together when they could. Everyone came over on Friday nights. Sheldon had bent enough to allow it to be movie night as well as vintage video game night and also allowed it to be pizza night, since that was easier to serve with the group of nine people.

And one Friday, it was ten. Raj's therapy progressed to the point where he was able to ask a woman out. She was quiet and didn't mind if he didn't speak a lot. But she was sweet and smiled at him whenever she could.

The first thing he did after he told the group about his date, was to hug Penny and thank her for sending him to the therapy. After a slow first few weeks, he'd progressed quickly and was able to talk to her without drinking at all. And once he'd added Amy and Bernadette to that list, he knew he was on the right road.

He met his new friend, Elise, at the community college after his therapy group. She was taking a cooking class and she had a big container of cookies in her hand. They'd almost collided in the hallway and when she'd apologized, she offered him a cookie. He thanked her and offered to buy her coffee to go with them.

Sheldon and Penny also progressed in their relationship. They spent almost every spare moment together (after Sheldon's time at the comic book store) and talked and laughed together a lot.

Sexually, they found new rhythms between each other together. When Sheldon woke up with her mouth on him, he was shocked and then pleasantly surprised. He enjoyed it immensely and wanted to reciprocate, so she soon found herself waking up with his long fingers inside of her. He was nothing if not an intelligent man who learned quickly.

She also put her acting skills to good use by thinking of new ways to make their sex lives more interesting. One night, they were sitting on the sofa together and she moved onto his lap and said, "Want to do some role playing games?"

"Like Final Fantasy? Or are you back to Age of Conan?" he asked, curious as he had believed that she was initiating intercourse.

"Not that kind." In a voice that was different from her own, she said, "Oh, Superman, you just rescued me from that super villain who would have had his way with me and then killed me. How can I ever thank you?"

"Superman does not rescue people to be rewarded."

She glared at him. "Yes, but he'd like to be rewarded by Lois Lane, wouldn't he?"

"No, he would-"

"Sheldon, just go with it. Believe me, you'll be happy you did."

"Very well," he took a breath, "Oh, Miss Lane, how would like to reward me?"

"Well, I could do this..." she put her arms around his neck and kissed him. "And then maybe you could let me know if a man of steel has everything made of steel."

He opened his mouth to refute her words, but the look on her face told him not to. "Um, I am sure I could provide sufficient 'steel' for you Miss Lane."

"Ooh," she said, "I think I will like that. Hey, could we have sex while you're flying?"

The look he gave her was a mix of condescension and confusion and she giggled because she knew she'd gone beyond his ability to play act, but she loved to watch him try.

"Okay, Superman, not while flying. But maybe in your big ice thingy."

He smiled and kissed her.

She tried it again another time, and found that he was able to improvise and make his own suggestions.

"Han Solo," she said, "We've just finished fighting the evil empire. Kiss me."

"No," he looked at her. "You are rescuing me from Jabba the Hutt and you are wearing the gold bikini."

She smiled. "Wow, Sheldon does have sex fantasies. I can't believe it!"

"Not Sheldon. Han Solo."

Her next suggestion met with opposition from him: "Okay, Commander Spock, Lt. Uhuru reporting for duty in your quarters."

"No," he said. "No new Star Trek movie."

"I thought you'd want to be Mr. Spock."

"I do, but not new movie."

"So..."

He cleared his throat. "Nurse Chapel, I am a Vulcan and cannot respond to your ministrations."

"Oh. Okay, um, Mr. Spock, aren't you in the middle of Pon Farr?"

"Yes, I am!"

"And we're a long way from Vulcan. Maybe I could help you with that blood fever?"

"I believe you could."

May was also the month of Howard and Bernadette's wedding. It was actually supposed to be in June, however, Howard's space launch got moved up, so they decided to move up the wedding. But their effort to get married at city hall fell through and they thought they'd be out of luck.

But then Raj came up with the idea of getting married when Google Earth would be picking up Pasadena and Leonard had the idea of doing it on their roof. And when they didn't know who would marry them, Penny told them that anyone could be an internet minister. Sheldon gave her a strange look when she talked about the place that would marry you and pierce any body part.

Somehow they got it all together and on a Sunday morning, they dressed in their wedding finery and gathered on the roof to marry their friends. Penny was impressed by Sheldon in a tux. She'd seen him in that black suit at that awards dinner, but never in a tux. He was certainly the most impressive looking of the four guys.

After the sweet ceremony, they went back to apartment 4A and had champagne and tea sandwiches that Penny had gotten from a nearby coffee shop. She assured Sheldon that she had thoroughly checked the place out.

After this small wedding feast, the newlyweds left for a quick "wedding night" before Howard had to leave and everyone else changed into comfortable clothes and relaxed for awhile.

A few days later, they all gathered there again to watch their friend be launched into space. Penny had to work, but luckily made it on time and rushed in to sit in her spot next to Sheldon.

Bernadette sat next to Raj and nervously took his hand. Leonard and Nancy were already holding hands and Amy grabbed Edwin's as well. But what surprised everyone was Sheldon.

"Boldly go, Howard Wolowitz." And then he reached out and took Penny's hand. She looked at him in wonder. She never expected him to do that in front of everyone. Of course, everyone was concentrating on the television and not looking at them. Leonard glanced over, because even now, Leonard still liked to look at Penny. He smirked and turned away.

Sheldon didn't notice him, he was still engrossed in the launch and just held on to Penny's hand.

The day after Howard's launch, Sheldon was sitting at lunch with Leonard and Raj. The other guys were discussing the launch and what Howard was possibly doing at that moment when Sheldon said, "Gentlemen, a hypothetical question: Is there a way to express one's emotions to a female without being faced with rejection?"

Raj shook his head and said, "Dude, just tell her. Penny's crazy about you."

Sheldon turned to Leonard and glared at him.

"I didn't say a word!" Leonard protested.

"He didn't have to. The two of you practically eat each other up with your eyes. Everyone can see it. Howard and I have been talking about it for weeks, wondering when you were going to tell everyone."

"We do not! And Howard knows?" Sheldon said.

"Everyone knows."

"Oh, Lord!"

* * *

**New York City was great and Jim was amazing in Harvey. It's really a wonderful play with a good lesson and he played it to perfection. No, I did not get my picture with him :( but they did have a Q&A with the actors and director right after which was very cool. Jim was as gracious as he is on all interviews, except for one moment. Everyone's questions were good, and centered on the production, but one idiot said he saw a lot of Sheldon in his performance (there wasn't!) and how does he separate it. You could see the look on Jim's face that he was a little annoyed at the question, but he was still gracious. We hurried outside as soon as it was over and went to the stage door, but security said that Jim had already left.**

**On another note, my daughter got a picture with Christian Borle from Smash, so that was cool!**

**So despite no picture, it was still a wonderful play and a great (but tiring) weekend. Thanks to everyone who expressed interest in it. I'm done with my personal life on Fan Fiction, LOL!**


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

_It was quite exciting to watch my friend, Howard Wolowitz, take off to be in space. It was something all of us had dreamed of in our formative years and to the present, but Howard had the opportunity to live that dream. I tried not to be envious of his good fortune, but I must admit to a bit of envy. After all, he only possessed a master's degree and yet he was selected to travel to the International Space Station?_

_Although, I must admit that Howard was always much smarter than one would think a man with only a Masters should be. Should he so desire, he could most certainly earn a doctorate. But for reasons known only to him, he chose to end his education there. It perplexed me, but Howard and I have always been very different men, both in our pursuit of knowledge and our pursuit of happiness in our personal lives._

_Yet, Howard had managed to find a woman to love him despite his usual despicable behavior with the opposite sex. And Bernadette was an intelligent woman who had her own doctorate. Yet she loved him and had married him and pined for him when he went to space._

_My friends believed that Penny might feel the same for me. Although I knew myself to be a superior human to most others, it was hard to accept that the attributes I brought to the relationship would be of lasting interest to a woman like Penny. I was also aware of the idiosyncrasies that some found annoying, though I simply considered them necessary to continue my life. But would Penny be willing to live with them in the long term?_

_(from the personal journal of Sheldon Cooper, PhD)_

* * *

Penny hadn't seen Sheldon in three days with working all of the extra hours. She'd been working both Thursday and Friday evenings and when she worked late, she usually didn't bother him, since he needed his sleep. She had the lunch shift on Saturday, which was good, since that was their date night.

When she trudged up the stairs, it was late afternoon and she decided to stop in and see her boyfriend before she went to get a shower. She knocked on 4A and Leonard opened the door.

"Penny, thank God you're here!"

"Why? What's the matter?"

"It's your crazy boyfriend." He led her inside.

What she saw was astounding, but not surprising nor unfamiliar. The room was filled with white boards with equations covering them. Sheldon was in the middle of them, hastily scribbling on one of them, then moving quickly to another one to make a note.

"Uh-oh," she said. "How long has he been at this?"

"Since Thursday. Or more specifically, Friday morning. He woke up in the middle of the night and started in on it. He didn't go in to work, just kept at it. He hasn't eaten or been to bed since."

"Uh-oh," she said again. She saw that he was still wearing his Thursday pajamas, which she knew would upset him, but there were more important things to worry about now.

"I'm supposed to meet Nancy for dinner, but I was afraid to just leave him like this." Leonard told her.

"No problem. I'm on it. Just give me five minutes to go home and get some stuff.'

"Sure."

When she returned, she had an overnight bag with some clothes and her toiletries. With a quick thanks and goodbye, Leonard was out the door. She was actually surprised that he stayed as long as he did.

She went up to Sheldon and kissed him lightly on the cheek and said, "Hi, sweetie."

"Can't talk, Penny, too much work to do." He said without looking at her. But she was fine with that, because he knew she was there and that meant he wasn't too far off the deep end.

First she took her bag and went to the bathroom and took a long hot shower, then dressed casually in some sweats and a tank top. Next she went to the kitchen and opened the fridge to see what he had there. Bread and cheese – perfect!

She made a couple of grilled cheese sandwiches, then poured a glass of diet coke for Sheldon. She went to him and placed half of the sandwich in his hand.

"Eat, Sheldon." She ordered.

He barely registered the food in his hand, but he took a bite. She sat on the sofa with a magazine while she ate hers. After a few minutes, she looked at him and saw that he had finished the food in his hand. She got the coke, placed a straw in it and brought it to him.

She held out the glass and said, "Drink!"

He glanced at the glass, then took a sip from the straw. She put the glass on the coffee table and got the other half of the sandwich. She gave it to him and he took it absently, but he ate it. She held the glass for him again and he sipped some more soda. She put it back on the coffee table while he continued to work. But every now and then, he stepped back from his work and took another sip of soda.

A little later, she pulled out a package of cookies and again made him eat some of them and refilled his soda glass. She took out her laptop and did some surfing and online chats with friends. She window shopped some shoes and other things, but she couldn't buy anything. Money was really tight and she had promised Sheldon she'd be responsible with her money.

When she started to get tired, she closed her laptop, made sure food was put away and the kitchen cleaned up. Sheldon would have her head if she left a mess. Then she went to him.

"Come on, sweetie, time to go to bed."

"Too much to do."

"It'll be there later. Come on." She took the marker out of his hand and led him to the bathroom. "You can either do your business yourself or I can stay here and make sure you do."

He looked at her then and nodded. She stepped out of the room and closed the door behind her. She waited a few minutes and then when she heard the toilet flush, she opened the door again.

"Okay, brush your teeth and then bed." She stood there and watched as he did the task. Luckily he was so ingrained in his routines that he could do it without thinking too much about it. Which was good, since the entire time he did it, he was muttering numbers and equations.

When he'd finished, she led him out of the bathroom and into his bedroom. She thought about getting him to change, but at this point, the most important thing was that he get some sleep.

"Okay, sweetie, into bed."

"No, need to work."

"No, Sheldon, the work will be there tomorrow, but you won't if you don't get some sleep."

She pulled him to the bed, pulled back the covers and pushed him down. She got him settled in and covered up, but she knew his mind was still going.

She sat beside him on the bed. "Okay, sweetie, you need to go to sleep now."

"Can't sleep, too much to do."

"Not right now there isn't. You're going to sleep, understand?"

"But…"

She gently pushed his shoulders down to the bed and stroked his forehead. "Okay, I'm pulling out the big guns now."

She continued to stroke him, as she sang softly, "_Soft kitty, warm kitty—"_

"That's for when you're sick. I'm not sick."

"Oh, baby, yes you are. Now be quiet." She started the song again. She knew the rules. "_Soft kitty, warm kitty, little ball of fur. Happy kitty, sleepy kitty, purr, purr, purr."_

She continued to gently stroke him until he fell asleep, then she kissed him lightly on his forehead and left the room.

She felt weird going to sleep in Leonard's room – too many awkward memories – so she got a pillow and blanket and went to the sofa.

Sometime during the night, she was awakened by a sound and when she sat up she realized that Sheldon was back at his board. There was single lamp lighting his way. She looked at the clock – 4 AM – and decided to let him work a bit. But she lay back down and closed her eyes. No way was she getting up at that ungodly hour.

When she opened her eyes again, it was almost eight and Sheldon was still at it, but she could see the dark circles under his eyes. She got up and put some pop tarts in the toaster, then poured him a glass of milk.

She put the pop tart in his hand and ordered him, "Eat!"

He barely glanced at her, but he took the pop tart and munched on it while he worked. She sighed as she watched him. It was going to be a long day.

She spent it giving herself a manicure and pedicure, more online window shopping, reading magazines and watching every trashy reality show that Sheldon hated and refused to watch with her. All of that was interspersed with making sure he ate, drank and went to the bathroom.

When night came again, she got him into bed again. He didn't fight as much this time and fell asleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow. She kissed his forehead and pulled the covers up to tuck him in.

She got ready for bed herself, then settled into the sofa for a really corny romantic comedy.

* * *

When Sheldon opened his eyes, he was a little confused. It was brighter out than it should be. He glanced at his alarm clock and saw that it was 9:25.

"Oh, Lord!" he jumped out of bed, wondering why his alarm had been turned off. Then he glanced at his pajamas and realized they were dirty! He sat on the edge of his bed, trying to remember and process everything.

Then he remembered his work frenzy and relaxed a bit. It would be alright. But why was he in his bed? Usually when he did that, he just collapsed on the floor or, if he was lucky, the sofa. He stood up and walked to the door of his bedroom and out to the hall, then to the living room.

There he saw Penny asleep on the sofa and he remembered that she'd taken care of him. He smiled and turned back to the bathroom.

Half an hour later, he was in the kitchen, showered and dressed and making oatmeal. He also made a pot of coffee for her.

The smell of coffee brewing roused her from sleep. Before she opened her eyes, she thought briefly, who's making coffee? Maybe Leonard came home. Then she opened them and looked towards the kitchen where she saw Sheldon standing over the stove.

Oh, God, she thought, what now? She got up and went to the kitchen carefully.

"Sheldon?"

He turned and gave her a brief smile. "Good morning, Penny. I'm making oatmeal. Your coffee is ready I believe."

She walked up to him and looked in his eyes. They shone clear and oh so blue.

"Are you okay?"

"If you are referring to the work frenzy which I indulged in, yes, it is over for now and I am fine."

She ran her hand over his hair, needing to touch him to be sure.

"Really, Penny, I am fine. Although after reviewing my white boards, I found that I made quite a bit of progress. It should advance my work a great deal. Can I assume someone called the university to tell them I would not be there today?"

She nodded. "Leonard said he would. He called last night."

"Very well. I am sorry if my actions caused you any distress."

"No, not distress. I was just worried about you."

"Well, apparently you took care of me. I briefly remember receiving food from you and it was satisfying to awaken in my bed and not on the floor in front of my whiteboards. So I thank you for all of that."

"You're welcome, sweetie." She smiled, then reached up on her toes to kiss his mouth lightly.

"I do apologize for ruining your weekend and our date night as well."

"Those things happen. Hey, why don't we have a date morning instead? I have to work this afternoon, but we could eat breakfast, then you could do your laundry, which you missed on Saturday night and then we could watch a movie or something. Just like our Saturday night dates."

"Penny, it's Monday morning. I don't do my wash on Monday mornings."

"Well, you missed Saturday night. Are you going to wait until next Saturday?"

He thought about that. "No, I don't want to do that."

"Then, let's just pretend this is Saturday night and this breakfast is our dinner together. We'll eat and do our laundry. Then we can watch a movie. Or we could fool around."

There was a slight smolder in his eyes when she said that. She loved how she could get him excited.

He swallowed hard before saying, "Penny, it's morning. We engage in sexual intercourse in the evening."

"No rule says we can't do it now."

His mind was arguing with his libido as he considered it. Breaking routine was hard for him, she knew, but she could see the desire and so she pressed her advantage by going to him, putting her arms around him and kissing him hard.

"Let's eat,' she said huskily. "Then we'll see where the morning takes us."


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

_There are times when the thoughts in my head overwhelm me and I must cease any other actions and concentrate on my work. Even the most routine things such as eating and sleeping are thrown to the wayside. At the end, I usually come up with several new theories and advance my work a good deal. However, my health suffers due to my failure to eat or sleep._

_I was shocked by the manner in which Penny cared for me while I worked. Leonard always begrudged any care he gave me, even though that care was minimal. He certainly never made sure I ate or slept. But Penny took pains to insure that all my physical needs were met and sat quietly while I worked. It amazed me that anyone would do something like that, but most especially a woman like Penny who has little interest in physics._

_I began to believe that I had truly found a woman of great worth._

_(from the personal journal of Sheldon Cooper, PhD)_

* * *

"I hate that bitch, Jill!" Penny said angrily when she walked into Sheldon's apartment.

He looked up in confusion. "I'm sorry, Penny, how am I supposed to respond to such a greeting?"

She sighed, "I'm sorry, sweetie, I'm not mad at you. It's my manager. She is such a bitch."

"Yes, I believe you stated that. Of course, I do not have the necessary information to determine the validity of that statement, as you have not enumerated how she is a 'bitch'."

"Okay, so Ruthie quit five weeks ago and my manager Jill hasn't hired anyone to replace her, she's just making the rest of us work longer hours. I had to work a double shift today and she's doesn't even appreciate it. She just acts like it's what we have to do!"

"Isn't it?"

"What?"

"Isn't it what you have to do? She is your supervisor and sets the working hours for the staff. It's up to her to determine when the staff works and it is the staff's duty to work said hours."

"Well, yeah, but she doesn't have to be such a bitch about it! And she could hire someone else. And she could thank us for the extra work!"

"Are you not being paid for the extra hours?"

"Of course I'm being paid! Why would I work them if I wasn't?"

"Then she has no requirement to express gratitude for you doing your job as you were hired to do and receiving your normal compensation for it."

Penny's face fell and her eyes filled up. "Sheldon, you're my boyfriend, you're supposed to be on my side."

"Is there a competition?"

"No, but when I come home and I'm all stressed out and mad and my back is hurting like a son of a bitch, you're supposed to offer comfort and support. You're not supposed to side with my bitch of a manager!"

She was crying now and Sheldon hated to see her cry. He looked around nervously, not quite sure what to do. But then one thing that she'd just said got through to him.

"Come here."

"What?"

"Come here to the couch and lie down."

She was too tired and upset to fight with him anymore, so she just did that.

"No, on your stomach." She turned over and he leaned over her and began to massage her back, his long fingers and strong hands working into each of her sore muscles.

"Oh, my God! That feels wonderful! Where did you learn to do that?"

"Penny. As I have repeated numerous times, I'm a physicist. The mysteries of the universe are available to me. Do you think human anatomy and the location of specific muscles would be unknown?"

She just grunted and enjoyed the massage. But after a while, she realized this was different from any massage she'd ever had from a guy. For one thing it had been going on for a long time. Not that she was complaining, but most guys only used a back massage as an excuse to touch a woman's naked body so that he could move on to other things. And that was the other thing, she wasn't naked.

"Sheldon, wouldn't you rather I take my shirt off?"

He shrugged. "If you wish. I can get deeper into the muscles that way, but it isn't a necessity."

She sat up and removed her shirt and bra, then lay down again. "Sheldon, no guy has even given me a massage like this before. It's amazing."

"They apparently did not have knowledge of the anatomy of muscles on the human body."

"No, the problem was that I'd get about two minutes of a back rub, then they'd start a front rub and then I'd end up rubbing them."

He frowned. "That seems rather inefficient. If it is your back that is in distress, how could rubbing your breasts cause you relief from that pain? And as I am not suffering from pain, I don't require a massage and once again, I cannot see how that would relieve your pain."

She smiled. He was just so cute and clueless sometimes. "Sheldon, they weren't trying to relieve my pain. They were trying to use the back rub as a way to get sex."

"Oh. Well, then that makes sense. However, that still doesn't relieve your back pain, so other than the sexual release, what is the benefit for you?"

He continued to massage her as he spoke and she had to chuckle. "Oh, Sheldon, you are really one of a kind. I love you." Moments after the words left her mouth, she realized what she said.

His hands stilled and there was silence for a long moment.

Then he whispered, "Do you mean that?"

She sat up and looked at him. She wasn't sure if she should brush it off as nothing or tell him the truth. His blue eyes were studying her intensely. And at that moment, she realized it was the truth and she couldn't keep it from him.

"Yes, Sheldon, I mean it. I'm in love with you."

He swallowed hard, but never took his eyes from her. "I also am experiencing a very strong affectionate response to you."

She smiled. "Say it in English, Sheldon. Please."

"I love you, Penny."

She sat up and put her arms around him, and they just held each other for a while. Then he pulled back and looked at her.

"I believe it is customary to commemorate such admission with coi…, um, by making love, is it not?" he asked shyly.

"I believe it is, sweetie." She said with a smile.

She started to rise, but before she could, he reached out and picked her up. She put her arms around his neck and stared at him.

"Sheldon! Are you… am I too heavy for you to…?"

"Penny, I may not be a muscle bound idiot, but I have sufficient upper body strength to carry the woman I love a few feet to the bedroom."

She smiled and snuggled into him as he carried her. When they reached his room, he pushed the door open and laid her on the bed. She wriggled out of her skirt and panties, while he removed his shirts, pants and underwear. Then he joined her on the bed and kissed her softly.

While their lovemaking was always good, knowing that there was true feeling behind it made it so much sweeter, so much better. Their kisses were better, their touches meant more. And their joining was as it should be – the transformation of two hearts into one.

They lay in each other's arms afterwards, her head on his chest, his hand caressing her hair.

"Sheldon," she asked quietly, "Do you think I'm pretty?"

"Excuse me? Why are you asking me that?"

"I want to know if you think I'm pretty."

"Penny, I am sure you are as aware of your beauty as I am of my intelligence. Is it necessary to reinforce that knowledge on a regular basis?"

"Well, you never really say and I just wondered why you love me. Is it because you think I'm pretty?"

"What?"

"Leonard used to tell me all the time how beautiful he thought I was."

"Do you really feel it is appropriate to bring up my roommate and your former paramour while we lie together with no cloth between our naked bodies?"

"No, I know, I just need to know why you love me. Do you even find me attractive?"

He sighed. "Penny, while I am aware that you are aesthetically pleasing and of course I find you attractive, the fact that I am attracted to you is testament to that. However, as to why I love you, well, I am not as single-minded as your former lover who occupies the bedroom adjacent to this one."

She smiled at his way of avoiding saying Leonard's name while they were in bed together.

"Your physical beauty is genetic, an inheritance from your parents and/or grandparents. It has no bearing on what makes you a person of worth. You are so much more than your looks. A woman as attractive as you are has no need in most cases to be as nice as you are, but you went beyond that. My friends and I should have been far below your notice until you needed tech support. But you not only accepted us, you helped us, guided us. You have a great deal of patience with things that you have neither knowledge nor interest in.

"No, Penny, I don't love you because you are beautiful. I love you in spite of it."

She could feel the tears leaking from her eyes and she held him tighter.

"That's the nicest, most romantic thing anyone has ever said to me."

Before he could say anymore, she was kissing him and round two began.

**Not a long chapter, but hopefully one that makes everyone happy. Still a lot to go in this story, so never fear.**


	31. Chapter 31

**Seems like everyone enjoyed the last chapter! Happy to have pleased all of you. Now onward in this love affair...**

Chapter 31

_Finding out that Penny's feelings mirrored mine were a revelation to me. I had never believed that I could be involved in a loving relationship with a woman. Truly, I had always considered romantic love to be hokum. My friends would be caught up in a whirlwind of 'love-sex-madness' and I would simply shake my head in wonder. How could grown men of intelligence, albeit somewhat limited in Howard's case, allow themselves to be swept up in such a mess of hormones and emotions? Not for me, thank you very much._

_But somehow I found myself falling into the exact same vortex with Penny. I loved her. That statement alone was an amazement to me. I, Sheldon Cooper, one of the country's top scientists, was in love with a woman? How could this be?_

_The thought should have put me into panic mode, sent me running for the hills, caused me to hide amidst my white boards for comfort._

_And yet, none of those things happened. I was strangely content with the situation. Even…happy._

_It was a most curious feeling and one I was unfamiliar with. Still, I was more than willing to let it continue. Being in love with Penny as well as knowing that she shared my feelings was exhilarating._

_(from the personal journal of Sheldon Cooper, PhD)_

* * *

Howard returned from the International Space Station in one piece to the relief of his new wife, his friends and especially his mother. After discussing his adventures in space, the guys' lunch table talk eventually got to Sheldon and Penny's relationship.

Howard's response: "Well, it's about time!"

"You were truly aware of this since we began dating?" Sheldon asked him.

"I was aware of it way before that."

"What do you mean?"

"Raj and I have been talking about it almost since you two met."

"But I had no romantic interest in Penny at that time."

"Actually, you did."

Leonard looked confused. "That can't be. She dated me, remember?"

Raj nodded, "Yes, and we were very confused about that. Even though you obviously had a crush on her, she always had more passion when she was with Sheldon."

"That's bullshit!" Leonard cried. "And I really don't need to hear that crap now."

Howard peered at him. "Uh-oh, trouble in Nancyland?"

"There's no trouble." Leonard said defensively and much too quickly.

Raj and Howard looked at each other. Sheldon, having no interest in Leonard's relationship, said, "Are you actually saying that Penny and I were demonstrating feelings for each other from the time we met?"

"Pretty much."

"Fascinating."

"So, how is it going now, Sheldon?" Raj asked him. "Have you told her how you feel?"

"For your information, yes, we have admitted our feelings to one another."

Raj smiled. "Good for you!"

Howard turned to Leonard. "What about you, Leonard? Have you told Nancy?"

"I just said that I didn't want to talk about it."

Sheldon looked at him. "And yet, you encouraged me to tell Penny how I felt."

"That's because she told me she was in love with you."

"You didn't tell me that!"

"It wasn't my place to tell you."

Howard persisted, "Okay, we know about Shenny. Now we want to know about Lancy."

"Oh, God!" Leonard stood up and walked away.

* * *

Once they'd declared their love to each other, Sheldon and Penny's relationship had only grown stronger. And the sex was better than ever.

Since Penny was on the pill and had been able to prove to Sheldon that she was disease free, they were now enjoying condom-free sex and he found their mating to be better than before. She began to believe she'd awoken a sleeping giant, as he seemed eager for sex at any time of day. They experimented with new positions and locations and pushed the boundaries of his limits. He'd also stopped showering immediately after, though he insisted they both shower whenever they could just before. And since he tended to want it a lot, Penny found herself showering a lot as well. Still, she couldn't complain, as she was enjoying their sex life as much as he was.

And making love to someone you really cared about was the most amazing thing. She'd thought she'd been in love with Kurt, but she'd been an inexperienced girl back then. And while she'd cared for both Leonard and Jeff, it wasn't even close to what she was feeling for Sheldon.

At times he was the strong and confident man, spouting off scientific theory and technical data. At others, he was the little boy that needed her to take care of him. And she loved all the facets of him.

They were enjoying one of their date nights. They'd finished dinner and laundry and had been watching a movie, but Penny got bored with it and climbed onto Sheldon's lap for a little fun time. She straddled him and started to kiss him. He pulled her closer and pushed her tank top up. She wasn't wearing a bra, which always excited him. He caressed her back, then pulled off the top and threw it to the side. He leaned his head down to take a nipple into his mouth, when they both were struck by a voice.

"Oh, God, I do not need to see this right now!"

They turned towards the door to see Leonard standing there.

"Leonard." Sheldon said, "What are you doing here?"

"I live here, remember?"

"Just barely."

Penny reached for her top, scrambling to put it back on, but Leonard interrupted her. "Don't bother, Penny, I've seen it before in case you've forgotten."

"Leonard!" she said, surprised that he would say that. But then she saw Sheldon's face and the anger there was positively frightening. He stood up; taking her with him, then pushed her behind him, shielding her with his body.

"I expect you to immediately apologize to Penny or leave." He told his roommate.

Leonard sighed, "You're right, I'm sorry. I should never have said that. I'm just, I don't know." He sat down heavily on the sofa.

Penny – now fully dressed – moved out from behind Sheldon and sat beside him. "What happened, sweetie? Did you have a fight with Nancy?"

"I guess you could say that." He said glumly.

Sheldon sighed audibly. "This is date night, Leonard, not 'therapy' night."

"Sheldon!" Penny chastised him, "Date night can wait a bit. Leonard needs his friends right now."

"Is he in distress?"

"Apparently." She told him.

"Fine. I'll make the hot beverage."

"I don't want a hot beverage." Leonard said.

"It's non-negotiable." Penny said. "Let him do that while you tell me what happened."

"It's stupid."

Sheldon piped in from the kitchen. "Well, of course it is, Leonard is—"

"Sheldon! Beverage!" Penny commanded. "Just tell me."

"She wants me to move in with her."

Penny was confused. "You don't want to?"

"No, I mean it's not that. It's just…"

"Leonard, you spend just about every night at her place. Aren't you already pretty much living with her?"

"I guess, but it's not really…I don't know what I mean."

"Are you in love with her?"

"I think so."

"Do you want to be with her?"

He nodded.

"Have you told her that?"

He was silent and she sighed. "Leonard, you have to let her know. And if you want to be with her, you should be with her."

He looked down and didn't speak.

"What?" she asked. "What's bothering you?"

Sheldon walked over with a cup of tea. "Leonard is concerned because when he previously admitted his love to you; his heart was crushed and stomped on as you hastened out of the relationship."

"I did not hasten…well, okay, Leonard, really? That's what's stopping you?'

"Not entirely, but, yeah, it's a factor."

Sheldon huffed. "I would say a very large factor. And while all of this may be interesting to the both of you, it is interrupting my date night and Leonard, this is extremely inconsiderate of you. I never interrupted any of your dates."

Penny and Leonard both stared at him, incredulity on their faces.

"Are you serious?" Leonard cried. "I can't even count the number of dates you barged in on."

Sheldon opened his mouth to speak, but Penny stopped him. "Sheldon, please don't say anything more. I know you want to finish our night, so why don't you go wait for me in your bedroom while I talk to Leonard for a few minutes?"

He was going to say more, but the look she gave him told him to stop there. He nodded, "Very well, I shall await you in my room. Please do not keep me waiting long."

He turned and left the room. She rolled her eyes. "Sorry, Leonard. I love the goof, but sometimes, well, you know."

"Yeah, I do."

"Okay, back to Nancy. Leonard, I don't know her real well, but I can tell she's crazy about you. And a woman does not ask a man to move in with her unless she really cares about him."

He stared at his feet for a bit. "Have I screwed this up, Penny?"

"Not necessarily. Send her a text. Tell her you're sorry and ask if you can talk to her tomorrow about all of this."

"Shouldn't I go back there?"

"No, you need to settle this in your head first. Send the text."

He took out his phone and typed: I'M SORRY. CAN WE TALK ABOUT THIS TOMORROW? I WANT TO WORK IT OUT.

She watched as he did so and seconds later, they both heard the sound that said he'd gotten a text. He looked at it eagerly. "She said 'yes'!" he told her.

"See?"

They both jumped as they heard the phone again. He looked at it, and then showed it to Penny: I WANT TO WORK IT OUT TOO.

"You'll be fine, sweetie." Penny said with a smile. "Now, I'd better go give my crazy boyfriend what he wants."

Leonard chuckled. "It's more than a little weird to walk in here and find you half naked on his lap."

"I thought it didn't bother you about me and Sheldon?"

"It's not that. It wasn't weird seeing you like that, it was weird seeing him."

She smiled and waved good night, then went to Sheldon's room. She knocked lightly, then opened the door. The sight that greeted her made her smile some more.

Sheldon was sitting cross legged on his bed, naked, reading a comic book. He looked up, as if there was nothing incongruous about that at all.

"Have you finished solving Leonard's problem?"

"I think so."

"Good, then we can continue our activities. I have prepared myself as you can see and am simply waiting for you to disrobe and join me."

She couldn't stop laughing as she took off her clothes and jumped on the bed, toppling him over and knocking the comic to the floor.


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32

_Leonard Hofstadter. My roommate and best friend. Though at times, his definition of friend has differed greatly from mine. Leonard does not possess the confidence that I do and his insecurities caused him most of the pain of his life. It stemmed from his childhood. While his mother is a brilliant woman whom I much admire, she did not possess the maternal skills necessary to nurture a child such as Leonard. And I use the term 'child' deliberately. Leonard, although chronologically an adult, had never gone beyond adolescence as far as self-confidence is concerned. _

_I understand how it feels to be smarter than one's contemporaries and to suffer their contempt and abuse. However, I have never allowed their scorn to affect my opinion of myself. I know who I am and what my abilities are. Had Leonard the same confidence, he could have advanced further in his career and possibly been a theoretical physicist such as myself. Well, of course, not like me, no one is, but much better than he is._

_He brought this same insecurity to his relationships with women, always second guessing his feelings and the female's. Or moving ahead much too quickly, as he had with Penny. _

_Of course, I did have the same trepidation before admitting my feelings to Penny, needing to be assured of her feelings before revealing mine. So I could appreciate some of his fear with Nancy. Thankfully, Penny was able to guide him through that minefield , leaving me out of it._

_But even though I made my feelings for Penny clear, as she did the same, there were still unknowns in the entity that was our relations hip and I knew I would need to tread carefully, as these were unfamiliar waters._

_(from the personal journal of Sheldon Cooper, PhD)_

* * *

The day had been long and hard, in other words the usual at the Cheesecake Factory. She was once again covering one of the shifts for the girl who'd left and was working late on a Monday evening, not her usual at all. There'd been a big private party in the back room and they took all the parking spaces where the staff usually parked. Her manager had a fit if they parked in the front, as that was for customers, so she ended up across the street at the office building. It was fine when she arrived, but when she left near midnight, the lot was deserted. And she was really tired and not up to trudging all the way, but there was no way around it. She said goodbye to the other girls and headed off on her own.

If she hadn't been so tired, she might have been more aware of her surroundings. As it was, all she could think of was getting home. She'd missed Thai night and she missed Sheldon and she'd been stiffed on a tip by one table. Still, two of the others were pretty generous so she wasn't unhappy about the money in her purse. She pulled out her keys as she reached her car and pressed the door lock button.

When she looked back later, she couldn't remember exactly in what order everything happened. One guy pushed her down and another guy grabbed her purse and keys, but the order was a blur. All she knew was that one moment she was getting ready to get in her car and the next she was lying on the ground watching her car drive away with her purse, including her cell phone.

She wasn't hurt, just a bit dazed. She got up as quickly as she could and yelled after the thieves, but they were driving down the road too far away for her to do anything, not that there was anything she could do.

She wearily trudged back to the restaurant, but the doors were locked. She saw her manager coming out the back and locking up the employee entrance.

"Jill!" she called out. "I need to make a call."

"Sorry, Penny. I've locked up and I'm going home. Use your cell."

"I would except I was just mugged and someone took my purse with my cell and my car and drove away."

"Oh, that's terrible. Well, I need to get home. Hope it works out."

Penny stared at her. "I need to call the police. Can't you let me in?"

"Sorry, once it's locked, I'm not allowed to open it until the next day."

What a bitch, Penny thought, but bit her tongue. "Can you at least call the police for me?"

Jill let out a sigh. "Oh, I guess so." She took out her phone and made the call. Once she'd conveyed the message and the location, she disconnected and said, "They're on their way. Goodbye."

Penny watched in shock as the woman got into her car and drove away.

"Super bitch." Penny muttered, then looked around nervously while she waited for the police, hoping her assailants didn't return. Luckily it only took a few minutes, because Penny was getting really scared being there alone.

A police cruiser soon pulled up and an officer got out. By this time, Penny was close to tears.

She ran up to the man and started telling him what had happened. He held up a hand as he reached into his pocket for a notebook. "Okay, Miss, let's take this one step at a time. Can you tell me your name?"

She did and then tried to calmly relate the events. He asked for a description of her car, make, model and license plate. She told him everything she needed to.

"Okay, my name is Officer Franklin. Can I call you Penny?" When she nodded, he continued, "Do you have anyone who can drive you home?"

She thought about that. Leonard would be with Nancy and of course, Sheldon couldn't drive.

"Not really. And oh, God, they have my keys."

"And your address. Though usually with a carjacking like this, they want the car and whatever money is in your purse. Still, it's best to be safe. Do you have a place you can stay tonight?"

"Yes, across the hall from my apartment."

"Okay, get in the car and I'll drive you home."

When they reached 2311 Los Robles, he accompanied her up the stairs.

"Wow, you walk up four flights everyday?"

"Yes, unfortunately."

"Guess that's why you're in such good shape."

She glanced at him. He was smiling at her. Uh-oh. In other circumstances, she'd be flattered. He was young and very good looking. And of course, he had that whole cop thing going on, making him even sexier.

But her heart was taken by a tall skinny scientist and she'd have to pass on the sexy cop.

When they reached the fourth floor, she pointed to 4B. "That's my place."

Then she turned to 4A and knocked loudly on the door. "Sheldon! It's me, Penny!" she called out, hoping his Vulcan ears would hear her.

As she predicted, a few moments later, he opened the door, clad in his plaid pajamas and robe and with his brown slippers on his feet.

"Penny, why are you…" he stopped when he saw the police officer. "What's going on? What has happened?"

"Sheldon, I was mugged. They took my purse and my car." It was getting to her again and tears started to leak form her eyes.

Officer Franklin spoke, "Excuse me, Mr…?"

"Doctor Sheldon Cooper." Sheldon said.

"Okay, Doctor Cooper, the young lady shouldn't stay in her place tonight. Those guys have her keys and her address. I don't think they'll come here, but it's better to be cautious. She should get the locks changed in the morning before she goes back there."

"Thank you, Officer." Sheldon said, "She can stay here."

The police officer nodded, then turned to Penny. "I'll stop by tomorrow and let you know what we've found out."

"Okay, thank you."

He nodded, then said goodbye and left. Sheldon locked the door behing the police officer, including the chain. Penny sighed and leaned against Sheldon.

"Sheldon, I was so scared. I was all alone. Jill, that bitch, just left me there. I didn't have my phone, so I couldn't call you or anything!" she started to cry and Sheldon put his arms around her.

"There, there." He wasn't familiar with the correct protocol, but he knew enough to understand that when his girlfriend had been robbed, the convention was to hold her and offer comfort. "Would you like a hot beverage?"

"No! I want to find those creeps and give them a little junior rodeo action. They stole my car, my phone, my tips – which were pretty good tonight! – and my purse! And it was a new one and really cute!"

He looked at her then. "Did you bump your head when you fell?"

"No, I did not. I just scraped my knee."

"Your knee?" He looked down at her leg. "Oh, dear Lord, you're bleeding!"

"It stopped bleeding a while ago. It's just dirt and dried blood."

"Penny, it could be infected. Come with me."

He took her hand and led her into the bathroom, then sat her down on the closed toilet. He went to the medicine cabinet and pulled out the supplies he needed. After putting on rubber gloves, he knelt down in front of her and began to clean the wound with alcohol.

"Ow! That hurts!" she yelled.

"Of course it hurts. I need to remove all the dirt or it will become infected."

"Well, be careful."

"Penny." He said in his condescending tone. After spending a good ten minutes swabbing the scrape with alcohol (Penny swore he was at it for an hour), he patted it dry and applied some antibiotic cream, then a bandage.

"Tomorrow, we'll clean it again and apply a fresh bandage."

"No, you won't torture me again tomorrow." He looked at her from his place on the floor in front of her and she thought he looked so adorable. So she leaned down and kissed him.

"You need to get ready for bed. I am already extremely interrupted in my REM cycle."

"Sorry about that, but it wasn't my fault. It was those creeps that mugged me!"

"I am aware of that."

"Well, if the cops ever catch them, I'll have them charged with interrupting Sheldon's sleep as well as robbery."

"Penny, that would be a waste of the resources of our legal system."

She smiled and shook her head.

"Sarcasm?" he asked. When she nodded, he added, "Darn, and I was four for five this month."

"That's okay, sweetie, you're sleepy and not at your best."

She didn't want to go back to her place just then, but luckily she had a toothbrush at his place and she borrowed one of his t-shirts, even though he complained about it.

She got ready for bed and curled up next to him in his twin bed. He made a half-hearted attempt to get her to sleep in Leonard's bed, since his was so small, but she wouldn't have it and truthfully, Sheldon preferred having her beside him, especially right then. She held on to him and he kept his arm around her. Eventually, she dropped off to sleep, but he lay awake for some time.

* * *

**A/N: Okay, I need to vent this to people who will understand and agree with me. My daughter and I were watching a countdown of the Sexiest Geeks on the TV Guide channel. And Johnny Galecki was # 15, so I said, well, Jim Parsons has got to be up higher. But guess what? He wasn't on the list at all! Was that stupid or what? I mean Johnny's okay, but Jim is definitely sexier.**

**Anyway, on a happier note, a friend of mine went to Comic-con and got a Big Bang bag and she sent it to me, since she knows I love the show. She said there was a lot of Sheldon dolls, t-shirts, etc there as well. Someday maybe I can go. Have a good day, faithful readers!**


	33. Chapter 33

**Obviously everyone agreed with me that Jim should have been one of the sexiest geeks! Those people have no sense. *shakes head***

**Here's the second part of the last chapter.**

Chapter 33

_I have many fears, phobias, if you will. I know this and I accept it. I have an aversion to birds, germs, hospitals (and germs in hospitals) among other things. I never saw them as flaws to my character, merely facets that made me the man I am. When I win the Nobel prize, no one will say, "Oh, Dr. Cooper? Yes, he changed the world by proving string theory, but what a shame he was afraid of birds. A sad footnote to an otherwise brilliant career." No, the world will not be concerned with those things._

_Still, as a man who prides himself on perfecting every aspect of his life, it did occasionally trouble me that with all I had overcome in my life, those piddling things still plagued me._

_After all, I had extricated myself from a small and extremely backward town in Texas and a similarly backward family to be a highly respected physicist working at a top university. I was a man in control of the minor things, allowing me the freedom of thought to explore the major things. These were accomplishments of which I should be proud._

_However, my friends often pointed out these failings and they became a source of amusement for them over the years. I always behaved as though I was immune to those jibes, but in truth, I wished I could overcome the fears and show my superiority in all things._

_Throughout my life, others have tried to find ways to 'cure' me. My mother tried praying and forcing me to pray with her. My father tried beating and 'tough love'. My brother and sister thought humiliating me would work. Or perhaps they just enjoyed humiliating me._

_My teachers in school tried to advise me, while my classmates and acquaintances just laughed and ignored me._

_My first real friend, Leonard, tried everything from logic to sarcasm to remove my phobias, but all to no avail. I was destined to always have them._

_Until Penny._

_If anyone had told me that a pretty, blonde girl from the Heartland would be my guide, I would have laughed derisively._

_But somehow, she challenged me and called me on every one of my fears. She forced me to face them in a way no one else had and while they didn't immediately disappear, they did become much easier to manage, thereby giving me more control of my life._

_In my lifetime, I have been chased, caught and beaten up by bullies. I have endured my father's sneers, my mother's prayers, my siblings' derisions. I have been betrayed by enemies and friends. More recently, I faced the prospect of my mother's death. _

_All of the fear that I have experienced in my life paled in comparison to the fear that I experienced on the evening that Penny was mugged. I found myself unable to sleep, as my mind kept revolving around the thoughts of what could have occurred. _

_While a robbery was intrusive and left the victim feeling violated, the crimes that might have been inflicted upon her were far worse. Due to the isolation of her parking situation, her assailants could have sexually assaulted her and either killed her or left her for dead._

_The thought of something so horrid happening to my Penny filled me with a fear much greater than any I had ever known._

_(from the personal journal of Sheldon Cooper, PhD)_

The next morning, Penny was surprised to wake up and find that Sheldon had not gone to work.

"I invoked what the workforce refers to as a 'personal day' as I assumed you might require my assistance. I have already taken the liberty of notifying the landlord of last night's occurrence and the necessity of changing the locks on your apartment. He will send a locksmith forthwith."

"Oh, that's so sweet! And you took the day off to help me! No wonder I love you." Her arms went around him once more.

"I also promised the landlord that your rent would be paid today."

"Oh, yeah, I kinda forgot about the rent. I was thinking with my paycheck on Thursday and my tips, but then I lost the tips last night and…"

"Penny, I will take care of the rent for this month."

"Sheldon, I already owe you so much money, I can't let you do that."

"You owe me nothing. It will not benefit me to have you evicted for non-payment of your rent. As I do not drive, I do not have the means to visit you in a different location. Since you live across the hall, it is much easier for me to conduct this relationship."

"That's the only reason you're with me? I was a convenient girlfriend?"

She got the condescending stare again. "Penny. You know that is ludicrous. I was not interested in an emotional relationship with any woman. If I had not met you, I would have continued as I was. A solitary scientist, involved only with his work."

"But aren't you glad you're not that anymore?" She smiled and kissed his cheek. Before he could reply, there was a knock on the door.

He went to open it and found Officer Franklin standing there.

"Hello, Doctor Cooper, I need to speak to Penny."

"Good day, Officer, please come in."

"Did you catch them?" she asked excitedly after greetings were exchanged.

"Not yet, but we did find your car."

"Really?"

"It was abandoned. Apparently they must have thought it wasn't worth trying to sell. We towed it to the police lot. They may have damaged it, the tow truck operator said your check engine light is on."

Sheldon coughed and was about to speak, but Penny glared at him and interrupted quickly, "Well, that sucks, but at least the car's recovered. Can I get it?"

"Of course. That's why I came instead of calling. I thought I could take you to pick it up." He smiled at her then, a very nice, very cute smile with really white teeth.

Penny knew what that smile meant, but she hoped that Dr. Clueless did not. However, a glance at him told her that he wasn't that clueless, as the look on his face was murderous.

She knew he was capable of jealousy, he'd shown it about Raj. But he'd known that she had no interest in Raj. This cop was entirely different. She still had no interest, but he didn't know that. And Officer Franklin was exactly the type of guy she would have gone for in the past.

She wasn't sure how to reassure him. At that moment, she had to go get her car since she had to work that afternoon.

"I'm going to go get dressed. Sheldon, would you accompany me to my apartment so that I can get my clothes?"

"I could do that." Office Franklin said.

She was really afraid that Sheldon would explode, so she grabbed him by the arm and dragged him out, picking up her key from the bowl as they headed for the door. "That's okay. Sheldon has to go and wait for the locksmith anyway."

When they got to her apartment, he said quickly, "Penny, I am extremely uncomfortable about that man accompanying you to retrieve your vehicle. I must go along with you."

"Sheldon, you can't. I wasn't lying, you have to wait for the locksmith. Honey, you know how I feel about you. Look, I have to get dressed and I have to get my car."

She kissed him quickly on the mouth and ran into her bedroom and emerged a few minutes later dressed in shorts and a floral top. She kissed him once more.

"I love you and we'll talk when I get back."

She kissed him again and ran out the door, leaving him with his mouth twitching. Officer Franklin was waiting in the hallway for her and they went down to his squad car. He chatted amiably with her and she knew he was coming on to her and that she had to nip this in the bud.

Before she could speak, he smiled that brilliant smile at her, "So Penny, would you like to get together some time? Maybe dinner and a movie?"

"Uh, you know, that's really flattering, but I'm sort of involved with someone."

"Come on, I've heard that line before."

"No, I am. You've even met him."

He narrowed his eyes. "Not your geeky neighbor?"

"Actually, yeah."

"Look, if you don't want to go out with me, just say so. You don't have to make up tall tales like that."

"It's not a story. We are together."

"Seriously? A girl like you with a guy like that?"

"Yes, he's geeky and he's crazy and he's brilliant and he's sweet and I'm in love with him."

The police officer shook his head. "I don't usually lose to a guy like that, but if you're sure…"

"I'm sure."

When she returned home with her car – which was in no worse shape than when she'd lost it – she found Sheldon in his own apartment, sitting at his computer. He looked up at her when she entered.

"Got my car." She said, "It's fine."

"Is the check engine light still on?"

"Yes."

"Then I disagree, as it is not fine."

"It's as fine as it was yesterday."

"You apparently do not comprehend the meaning of fine. You should know that the locksmith arrived and your new keys are in the bowl."

She sighed and went over to him. Standing behind him, she put her arms around him and kissed him below his ear.

"I love you. Thank you for waiting for the locksmith."

"Did you enjoy your excursion with Officer Franklin?"

"Oh sure. Well after we picked up the car and had sex in the back seat, well, then…"

He turned around quickly, a dark look in his eyes. But the smirk on her face relaxed him a bit.

"Seriously, Sheldon, do you think I would do that?"

"He is interested in you."

"I know. He asked me out."

"Indeed? What did you say?"

"I told him I had to ask my boyfriend first."

He gave her another look as she raised her eyebrows. He sighed this time.

"It is very uncomfortable for me to watch other men show their interest in you."

"What do you want me to do, wear a burka to cover myself? Guys are gonna look, guys are gonna be interested. The only thing that matters is how I respond to them. And I'm not going to respond to them. I love you."

His eyes were brilliant as he stared at her. "I know that a man like that is attractive to women. He has the facial features and appropriate amount of body fat to muscle ratio that women enjoy."

"And he's got the whole cop uniform goin' on too."

His lips thinned into a tight line. "Precisely. And as I do not possess the facial features and body type, nor a police officer's uniform, I do wonder if you desire a man that has the sort of appearance that Officer Franklin does."

"Sheldon, first of all, you have your own stuff happening. You're tall and cute and those blue eyes are killer. But none of that matters anyway, since I'm in love with you, not any other guys. Although the uniform would look hot on you."

"Well, I do not possess a police officer's clothing, however, I do in fact have uniforms in my collection."

"Really?"

"Yes, indeed. A Star Fleet uniform, Battlestar Gallactica, several superhero –"

"Not the same, Sheldon." She laughed, then sat back and looked at him. She sighed and said, "Thank you for taking care of me sweetie."

"You're my girlfriend. It's non-optional."

"It would be non-optional for you even if I wasn't your girlfriend." She was smiling, but a few seconds later, her smile faded and she started to cry.

"What's the matter? Is your knee hurting?" he asked her.

She shook her head. "No, it's fine. I'm just, oh, Sheldon, I was so scared!" She put her arms around his neck and cried into his shirt.

His arms went around her too and he held her tight to him. "I am also scared, Penny."

She pulled back and looked at him. "Why are you scared?"

"You were away from me and danger befell you. I have no means of preventing those sorts of things from happening in the future. From this moment forward, every time you leave me, I will be worried that something similar will occur."

She almost criticized him for scaring her further, but as she looked at his blue eyes, she saw the real fear in them and that fear was for her. "Sweetie, we can't live in fear. Even though I'm upset about what happened and I was really scared when it did, I can't let myself live in fear and neither can you."

"Penny, I would not be able to bear it if something happened to you."

"I feel the same, but we're young and healthy and nothing is going to happen to us. We have our entire lives in front of us."

He licked his lips and she knew that something was going through that beautiful mind. She waited for him to say something. When he did, it was the last thing that she expected to hear.

"Penny, will you marry me?"

**How is everyone feeling right now? Heehee! Type a little message below and let me know.**


	34. Chapter 34

**Readers, I am so sorry that it took me this long to update, especially when I left you with a cliffie! We had a visitor from England and we were showing her the sights, so it's been a very busy few days. Anyway, here you go!**

Chapter 34

_I had believed myself to be above such primitive emotions as jealousy. After all, I knew my superiority to other men. My intelligence was far above everyone else I encountered and indeed, most of the known world. So why should I experience jealousy? No other man was as superior as I._

_However, when the police officer expressed his interest in Penny, I felt a wave of emotion such as I had never experienced. Perhaps it was rash of me to propose marriage to Penny at that precise moment. However, between my fear for her safety after the robbery and my jealousy over Officer Franklin's attention, I wanted to do something to bind her to me for eternity._

_Previously, my plans concerning marriage centered on finding a mate of suitable intelligence who shared interests with me and who would be a competent mother to our progeny. Marriage was only the social convention necessary to make the union legal (and keep my mother happy). It was also easier in a legal sense for a couple to be married, especially if they intended to produce children._

_Never in any of those equations had I considered that I might wish to marry a woman simply because I desired her and wanted to keep her in my protection. But falling in love with Penny had altered the marriage paradigm in my head. Now I just wanted her, regardless of her education level, shared interests or her maternal capabilities. It was a purely selfish desire, not one that took the future generation into account._

_And as overrun with the emotions of fear, jealousy, pride, and lust, my mind could only think of one thing: asking her to marry me. I surprised myself with my rash proposal to her._

_But what was even more surprising was her response._

_(from the personal journal of Sheldon Cooper, PhD)_

* * *

"Penny, will you marry me?"

She looked into his earnest blue eyes and bit her lip. She'd been so hoping he'd ask and also dreading it.

"Sheldon, I love you so much. But my answer is no."

His face registered sadness and confusion as he asked her, "Why not?"

"Because, sweetie, I'm so afraid that I'm not going to be enough for you and you're going to wake up some day and realize that you've missed out on someone else. My mom and dad got married really young and my mom always warned me to make sure that any guy that I married had a chance to sow his wild oats."

"Sow? Penny, I'm not a farmer!"

"It's just an expression. It means to make sure that the guy had a chance to be with other women so that he's sure you're the one."

"But you are the one. I am sure."

"You think so, but you haven't really been involved with anyone else."

"Yes, I have. There was that woman in graduate school and Amy Farah Fowler."

"They don't count."

"Why don't they count?"

"That bitch in grad school was using you and you said you had no romantic feelings for Amy."

"Yes, because I have romantic feelings for you and always have."

"Sheldon, I have to be sure that ten years down the line you're not going to wake up and want someone else."

"I would never be unfaithful to you."

"Of course you wouldn't. But someday you might realize what you missed out on and regret marrying me. "

"I'm not going to…"

"You don't know that. And I would never do that to you."

"Does that mean you won't marry me?" He looked so sad when he said it that she almost broke down and accepted, but she knew she couldn't.

"I want to, sweetie, but I don't think you're ready now."

"When will I be ready?"

"I don't know!" she thought for a moment. "Listen, I have an idea. How about if you go out to a club and try to pick up a woman?"

"Why in the world would I wish to do that?"

"So that you can see if there are any other women out there that interest you."

"There aren't. I have never wanted a woman in the way I want you."

"But you don't know that unless you try."

"No, Penny, I refuse to do that."

She looked at him and he saw tears start to leak from her eyes.

"Penny, why are you crying?"

"Because I love you so much and I want to marry you, but I couldn't bear it if we were married and you regretted it later and I don't know how else to be sure that you're ready!"

He couldn't bear to see her cry and she could see that he was weakening.

"Sheldon, please do this for me. If I can be sure, I'll feel better and know that it'll work."

He could see how intent she was on this, so he sighed and said, "Very well, Penny, if that is what you wish, I will do it."

"But you have to promise me to really try."

"Very well."

"Thank you, sweetie." She kissed him.

"May I do this quickly and get it over with?"

"Sure, but we need to get you some clothes."

"I have clothes."

"No, you need club clothes. We'll go shopping and find you something."

"Penny, this is becoming more and more tedious. I don't even want to go to a club and I certainly do not want new apparel for it."

"Please?" she looked at him with such a pleading look, that he relented.

"Alright, Penny."

They went to the mall and she picked out various things for him to try on. He stoically tried everything on and showed her how they looked. She decided on a pair of dark jeans and a cobalt blue button down shirt that made his eyes shine.

"Really, Penny?" he asked. "Dungarees for a club? At home they were worn to work in the fields. Is that why I am wearing them? To sow my oats?"

"No, Sheldon, not dungarees, jeans. Really cool, tight fitting jeans that make your ass look great. And a shirt to match your eyes."

"Why should I wish my buttocks to appear more attractive?"

"Girls like guys with cute butts."

Sheldon rolled his eyes. "This entire endeavor is ludicrous."

* * *

The next day at the lunch table, Sheldon recounted Penny's response to his proposal and her counter proposal.

"Seriously?" Leonard asked, "She wants you to sleep with other women?"

"No, she wants me to engage in coitus with them."

The other three rolled their eyes.

"Dude, that's amazing!" Raj said.

"I always knew Penny was a cool girl, but I never realized she was this cool!" Howard told him.

"I am totally opposed to this endeavor, as I find it to be ludicrous. However, she will not agree to marry me unless I undergo this experiment, so I am caught between the proverbial rock and hard place."

"Okay, your girlfriend just gave you permission to bang as many women as you want and you are the only man alive who would complain about that."

Sheldon gave him an odd look. "She did not tell me to 'bang' anyone, nor would I, as I am opposed to violence. As for sex, why should I wish to have sex with another when Penny is the woman that I love?"

The others rolled their eyes again, but in truth, they envied Sheldon's certainty in his love for Penny.

* * *

When Sheldon came out of his bedroom dressed in the new outfit, Penny looked him over.

"Hmm," she said, "Let's see. Turn around. Yeah, the butt looks great."

Sheldon rolled his eyes. "I am not really comfortable with the idea of women staring at my buttocks."

"Don't worry, sweetie, it's hot. But there's something…"

She unbuttoned, the shirt a few buttons, then rebuttoned one. She didn't want him looking like some gigolo.

"Oh, I know! Roll up your sleeves."

"What? Why should that be appropriate?"

"Cause girls love a little arm porn."

"Arm porn? Dear lord, Penny, what am I supposed to be doing with my arms? I am unfamiliar with this action."

"Relax, you just have to show them off a bit. You do that all the time with your regular shirts. You always push up the sleeves of the undershirt. The arm porn has gotten me hot more than once."

He just stared at her and shook his head. But then he sighed, unbuttoned his cuffs and began to roll up the sleeves.

"Not too much, just to below the elbow. That's right." She reached up then and pulled a lock of hair down a bit on his forehead.

He pushed it back up. "Penny, if you recall, I don't wish to have my hair dangling in my eyes."

"It's not… oh, never mind, the hair is fine. Shows off your eyes and that's what's going to catch the girls anyway. Those big, beautiful baby blues are amazing."

He sighed again. "While my eyes are more than adequate for allowing me to conduct myself through my day, they are entirely ordinary."

"No, they are gorgeous. You just don't know. Anyway, I think you're ready. Let's go."

He reached for his beige windbreaker on his computer chair.

"No!" she said, 'No old man jacket. It's hot out anyway, you don't need a jacket."

"Penny, I am uncomfortable with all of this."

"I know, sweetie, and I love you for going along with it. Come on."

They walked out of the apartment, with Sheldon dreading what the evening had in store.

**Who wants to hit on Sheldon wearing jeans and a blue shirt in a club? I do! I do! Heehee!**


	35. Chapter 35

**I think it's pretty much unanimous - we all want to hit on Sheldon at the club! LOL! We'll see who really does coming up here:**

Chapter 35

_I was of the belief that Penny's experiment was both unnecessary and foolhardy. However, she was adamant and would not accept my marriage proposal unless I agreed to it. I knew that it was pointless as Penny was the only woman I desired._

_She believed that since I had never been in a romantic relationship with another woman that I had never been interested in or attracted to anyone. She was wrong in that assumption._

_As an adolescent, I'd had the normal interest in girls. My mother dragged us to dances at her church and the first time there, I asked girls to dance with me. However, one needs only to be laughed at one or possibly two times, before one understands that it is a futile action. I would have refused to go to any further dances, but my mother insisted and made her point by requiring that I accompany my sister. Her reasoning was twofold: to be sure that I had some semblance of a social life and that my sister not have too much of one._

_I usually took pity on her and allowed her to be with her friends while I found a corner to sit in with a book. In that way, we were both satisfied._

_My continued interest in attracting the opposite sex led me to my ill-advised visit to the fraternity party in graduate school. But it was quite ruthlessly apparent to me that it was not to be. To avoid future humiliation of that sort, I put aside my interest in the opposite sex and concentrated on science. As the years past, I was occasionally attracted to women, but as I knew that they had no interest in me, I kept my attractions to myself._

_On the day that I met Penny, I of course noticed how attractive she was. I was also aware that she displayed a modicum of interest in me. However, Leonard was immediately enamored and women, for some reason, respond to his neediness more readily than to my self-confidence. Additionally, I was certain that, as had happened in the past, once she became acquainted with me, she would have no interest in me romantically._

_Penny proved me wrong in that and became instead the one true love of my life. There could be no other for me. But in order to have her as my mate, I was forced to participate in the most ludicrous experiment that could ever be imagined._

_(from the personal journal of Sheldon Cooper, PhD)_

* * *

That evening, they walked into the nightclub together, but Penny stopped him at the door.

"Okay, I'm going to sit over there in the corner. You go to the bar and find a woman that you'd like to meet."

He was going to protest again, but the look she gave him told him it would be pointless. He sighed and walked towards the bar.

The bartender smiled and asked, "What's your poison?"

"Poison? I don't possess any toxic or lethal substances. And if I did, why would I bring them to a public establishment?"

"Dude, what do you want to drink?"

"Oh. Of course. Diet coke, please."

The bartender nodded at Sheldon, but shook his head as he turned away to get the drink.

As Sheldon sipped his coke, he wondered what he should do next. He kept glancing toward the corner where he knew Penny was sitting. She had told him to try to look 'available', but he had no idea what that meant.

A few minutes later, a young woman approached the bar and glanced over at him. She had short bouncy red curls and was wearing a skin tight green shirt and equally tight black jeans.

"Hi." She said in a breathy voice. "Do you want to buy me a drink?"

"Have you left your money at home or are you just destitute?"

She looked at him oddly. "Uh…"

He realized then that she was 'coming on to him' and he changed his response. "Sorry, yes, of course I would like to buy you a drink. Excuse me, Mr. Barkeep, this lady would like a libation, please."

The bartender rolled his eyes again, but took the woman's order and brought the drink.

"Hi, I'm Mia." She said with a smile.

"Uh, Doctor Sheldon Cooper."

"Wow, a doctor! Are you like a surgeon or…"

"No, I am a theoretical physicist."

"Oh. Is that like a shrink or something?"

Sheldon sighed. There was no way this was going to work. But Penny had asked him to make sure he spoke to any woman he met for at least twenty minutes.

"No, that would be a psychiatrist. I am a physicist. I have two PhD's and I study the workings of the universe."

"Oh, wow. Is that hard?"

"For me, no. For you and most of the rest of the human race, yes."

"I'm a hairdresser. Bet you can't do hair."

"No, nor would I wish to. The mere idea of plunging my hands into strange people's hair is abhorrent to me."

She looked confused for a moment, then said, "Yeah, most people don't know how hard it is. I mean, people are always asking you to do special things and you're like, 'I can't do that to your hair!' and they're like, 'well, you're a hairdresser just do it!' and it's really hard, you know?"

Sheldon could not take anymore. "I need to leave now."

He walked away from her and found Penny in the corner. "Please, may we leave?" he asked her.

"Sheldon, you didn't give it much of a chance."

"Yes, I did. I bought that woman a drink and attempted a conversation, but it was pointless as she is not equipped with sufficient brain power to do so."

Penny sighed and nodded her head. They left the club and went to her car to drive home.

Later that evening, as they sat on her sofa, she said, "You know, I think the club was not a good idea."

"I agree with you wholeheartedly. The club was a horrendous idea."

"I should have realized that you wouldn't meet anyone you'd be interested in at a club. You need to go somewhere you could meet an intelligent woman."

"Penny, please…"

"I know! The university! Don't they have like parties there?"

"Yes, faculty parties, mixers with the graduate students, receptions after lectures and such."

"Then that's where we'll go. Where you can meet someone on your level."

Sheldon let out a long sigh. "There is no one on my level and anyway I don't want to…"

"Sheldon, you promised!"

"Very well."

* * *

A few days later, Penny walked with him into the reception room after sitting through an extremely (to her) boring talk on some science thing. She stepped aside and hung out with Howard and Bernadette by the bar, watching to see what Sheldon did.

"I'm still not sure why you're doing this." Bernadette said to her.

"Me neither," Howard added, "But could you convince Bernie to do it?"

His wife just glared at him. Penny ignored them, her eyes glued to Sheldon as he stood there looking a little lost. But it didn't take long for the jeans and blue eyes to do the job.

Soon he was approached by a trio of young women. Howard told Penny that they were graduate students. Penny remembered Ramona, that scary grad student that tried to take over Sheldon's life and she shuddered. But she had to continue with this experiment, so she bit her tongue and watched.

They were young, pretty and since they were graduate students probably a lot smarter than she was.

"Doctor Cooper, we read your last paper. It was so impressive." The first one, a bouncy little blonde said.

"Of course it was." Sheldon said matter-of-factly.

"I'd love to get together with you some time to discuss it."

As Sheldon spoke with the girls, two other young women joined them. Since they were discussing his work with him, Sheldon was able to speak easily to them and was not even aware of the way they found excuses to touch his arm or his hand.

Penny watched these exchanges in amazement. "They really like him. I can't believe it."

"They're grad students." Howard told her, "And he's a world famous physicist. All they need is to be a footnote on one of his papers and they have it made."

"What? They're using him?"

"Grad students have been sucking up to professors for years. And if they're young and pretty students, well, the sucking has new meaning, if you get my drift."

Penny was furious. This was not what she wanted. She marched over to where Sheldon stood and linked her arm in his.

"Hey, sweetie. Do you want to introduce your friends to me?"

He looked at her in confusion, not sure what to say.

She continued. "Hi, girls, I'm Penny, Dr. Cooper's girlfriend." The look she gave them was pure venom that clearly said: HANDS OFF – HE'S MINE!

The women wandered away and Sheldon stared at her.

"I don't understand. You wanted me to come here and meet women. Why did you disperse them?"

"I don't want women just using you."

"But I thought the meaning of 'sowing wild oats' was that I experience sexual intercourse with other women?"

"Yeah, well, using you for sex is one thing, but those bitches wanted to use you for your brain. And that belongs to me."

"Doesn't my body also belong to you?"

"Yeah, it does, but I guess I can lend it out for this experiment. But ..oh, hell, I don't know what I mean. I just didn't like those girls around you, okay?"

"Okay."

The next day she spoke to him again.

"Okay, that last one didn't work. But I have a better idea."

"Penny—"

"This will be better. I've asked Leonard to have Nancy set you up with a blind date."

He looked confused. "What would be the benefit in me dating someone who was visually impaired? Especially as you previously stated that the women would be interested in viewing my denim clad buttocks."

"Oh, my God, Sheldon, do you seriously not know what a blind date is?"

"I assume from your response that it is not a companion who is visually impaired."

"Yes, it is definitely not someone visually impaired. It's a date that someone else sets up for you with someone you've never met."

"Why in the world would I wish to do that?"

"Because this might be someone you'd actually like."

"I don't want to meet anyone I'd actually like, Penny."

"You have to. You promised."

He sighed again. "Very well."

* * *

Sheldon trudged up the stairs and was going to just go home, but he knew that Penny would want a report on his 'date', so he turned to 4B and did his triple knock.

"Sheldon, you're back!" she said as she opened the door and let him in.

"Obviously, Penny, how else could I be here if I wasn't back?"

"So, how did it go?"

He walked to her kitchen counter and stood there for a moment, gathering his thoughts and what he wanted to say. She felt a sliver of panic go through her. Had he found the woman interesting? Was he ready to break up with her? Why had she come up with this stupid plan?

"Penny, I don't want to do this any longer. I am not enjoying myself."

"Was she awful?"

"No, quite the contrary. She was very attractive, intelligent and in possession of a nice demeanor. We shared similar interests and viewpoints."

"So what was wrong with her?"

"She was not you. I'm not a farmer, I have no need to sow anything. I'm a scientist. I form a hypothesis, test it and come to a conclusion. My conclusion is that I love you. If you don't wish to marry me, I will reluctantly accept that. But please don't make me go out with any other women. You are the only one that I ever wish to be with."

Tears started to leak from her eyes.

"Oh, Penny, please do not cry! If it is that important to you, I suppose I can try…"

"Sheldon, marry me."

"W-what?"

"Marry me. Right away or whenever you want. I don't want you to go out with anyone else. You're right, it was a stupid idea. I love you. I want to be with you, forever. I want to be your wife. I want to be Mrs. Sheldon Cooper."

Seconds later, she was in his arms and shortly after that, they were in her bed, consummating their engagement.

**Can I hear a collective "awww"? But the story isn't over and although I like happy endings, I also like to make my characters work for it, so settle in - there is much more to come!**


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter 36

_Once Penny ceased her useless experiment and accepted my marriage proposal, I was confident that our future was secure and would progress happily. And I was able to concentrate on the other important aspects of my life, namely, my work, my family, comic books, trains, etc._

_As far as my family was concerned, my mother's stay in the rehabilitation hospital had taken longer than expected, however, after several Skype sessions with her and my sister, as well as telephone conferences with her doctor, I was relieved to know that she was almost returned to her normal self._

_Her speech was still a bit slurred, but she was in control of her vocal capabilities and would progress with more practice. Similarly, although she was in need of a cane to help her walk at present, her limbs grew stronger each day and the doctor anticipated a time in the near future when she would no longer require it._

_It was at this time that Missy contacted me and informed me that my mother was to be sent home and she reminded me of my promise to return to Texas at that time to help coordinate her care._

_(from the personal journal of Sheldon Cooper, PhD)_

* * *

When Sheldon informed Penny of his plan to return to Texas, he immediately saw the look of dejection on her face.

"What's the matter? You knew I would have to return to help with my mother."

"I know. It's just that I missed you so much when you were gone before. And we hadn't even had sex then! I don't know how I'm going to stand being without you again."

Sheldon considered this. He'd been wondering the same thing, as he knew he would miss her as well.

"Your classes don't begin until September, correct?"

"Yes, and I'm all registered and ready."

"Do you think you could take some vacation from work?"

"Well, probably not, but maybe that bitch Jill will realize she has to hire someone if I did. Sheldon, are you saying…?"

"I'd like you to come to Texas with me."

"Oh my God, really?"

"Yes. You haven't met Meemaw yet, nor my brother. This might be a good opportunity, especially as we are going to get married."

"You haven't told them yet?"

"As you have only recently, though belatedly, accepted my proposal, there has not been an opportunity. And I would prefer to gauge my mother's recovery in person before I spring this on her."

Penny looked worried. "Do you think she won't want you to marry me?"

"As I have never previously broached the subject of marriage in relation to my life, I have no way to anticipate my mother's reaction. However, Meemaw will be happy for me because she encouraged me to pursue this. In any case, their reactions will be inconsequential, as I intend to wed despite any objections that might be raised."

* * *

Sheldon received a Skype call from Amy. "Hello, Amy. I was going to contact you. I've thought of a new counterfactual that I believe you might enjoy."

"I would very much like to hear it." Amy replied, "But first, I have something I would like to discuss with you."

"Very well."

"Sheldon, it has come to my attention that you have proposed marriage to my bestie."

"That's not a secret. Everyone was informed of our plans last Friday evening."

"Yes. However, it has also come to my attention that you have not presented her with an engagement ring."

"Is it required?"

"It's the standard social protocol." Amy told him.

"Penny has not expressed a desire for a ring."

"Sheldon, are you seriously telling me that the beautiful and fashionable woman that we both love does not want something shiny on her finger so that she can wave her lovely hand about and announce to the world that she has a man?"

"That seems rather superficial. You're right, Penny would want that."

"Exactly."

"But how am I to go about selecting an engagement ring? I am unfamiliar with those items."

"Sheldon, you bought me a tiara. You were able to select that for me when we didn't even have a romantic relationship."

"You're right, that was quite remarkable of me."

"And you can do the same for Penny. Just remember, while flashy is always welcome, the more personal it is, the more rewarded you will be."

"Thank you, Amy, I will take that into consideration."

"You're welcome. Now about that counterfactual…"

Sheldon took all Amy had said into consideration. He didn't want an average ring for Penny. It had to be different. But he did not relish the idea of travelling from store to store to find one. He turned back to his computer and started doing some research. Half an hour later, he found what he wanted and printed it out.

He decided to go back to the jewelry store where he'd purchased Amy's tiara. After all, they'd sold pocket watches. Obviously a man of discriminating taste. He put on his bus pants and headed to the mall.

The proprietor was there and he remembered Sheldon. He made a point to remember customers that spent a lot of money in his store. In a matter of minutes, Sheldon had purchased a diamond tiara and a pocket watch. Even with the sale prices, it had been a substantial purchase. He kept records on customers like that and he was very good at remembering names.

"Good day, Doctor Cooper. How are you?"

That the man remembered him impressed Sheldon very much. "I am well. I am here to purchase an engagement ring."

"Ah, the young lady must have liked the tiara."

"Actually, it's a different young lady."

The man considered his customer and then said, "The young lady that accompanied you that day?"

"How did you know that?"

"I am very adept at reading people. My first instinct was that the two of you were together, so it wasn't hard to imagine."

"Well, that is very astute of you."

"We have a lovely assortment of rings and…"

"No, I don't want anything out of your case. Can you do a custom order for me?"

"I can do anything for the right price."

Sheldon thought about that for a moment, then nodded. Penny was worth whatever it would cost. He pulled the picture out of his pocket. "Very well. This is what I am thinking of."

He handed the paper to the jeweler. The man looked at it and asked Sheldon a few questions which Sheldon answered. Then he nodded. "This can be done."

"How long would it take?"

"Two weeks."

"If you can have it for me in no more than ten days, I will also order matching earrings for a wedding present, as well as the wedding rings."

"Done."

Ten days later, Sheldon asked Raj to drive him to the jewelry store. He was afraid to take the bus home with an expensive ring in his pocket.

"Why do you need to go a jewelry store?" Raj asked.

"I am picking up Penny's engagement ring. I intend to present it to her while we are with my family in Texas."

"Dude, that's great! Of course, I'll drive you."

When they got to the store, the proprietor greeted Sheldon warmly and pulled a velvet box out. He opened it and showed it to Sheldon.

Sheldon removed it from the box and examined it carefully, checking it out on all sides. Then he nodded. "This is acceptable."

"Can I see it?" Raj asked. Sheldon handed the box to him and took out his credit card to pay the jeweler. Raj looked at the ring.

"This is beautiful, but why did you pick this? Why not a regular one?"

Sheldon explained his reasons for the design he'd selected and when he finished, Raj's eyes were starting to water.

"Dude, that's so sweet. She's going to cry her eyes out!"

"I don't wish her to cry. I wish her to be happy."

"No, it's the good cry, the happy tears. The kind that will guarantee you a very happy night."

Sheldon sighed. He did not enjoy discussing his sex life with Penny with his friends. He took his receipt and the ring, thanked the man and they left the store.

The next day, Sheldon and Penny were on an airplane to Texas.

**I know you'd all like to know what the ring looks like, but you're going to find out when Penny does. Sorry - no spoilers!**

**By the way, just got the Big Bang Trivia game. It's fun, but I think I need to watch the episodes a few more times. I don't have them all memorized! LOL!**


	37. Chapter 37

**I am so sorry that it took me so long to update! You have every right to hate me and stop reading. But I hope you won't do that - please?**

Chapter 37

_Selecting the proper engagement ring for Penny became a point of pride for me. I knew that my fiancé was a woman who valued her appearance and the trappings that added to it. While I found her attractiveness in her personality and her ability to care for people, especially me, I knew that to her, the outward signs were of great importance. Therefore, the ring had to be perfect in every way._

_I believed I had selected such a ring. I felt little trepidation on that part._

_There was more uncertaintyat the prospect of presenting Penny as my betrothed to my family. While I felt they would be happy that I had decided to wed, I hoped that they would find Penny a worthwhile mate for me. Although, I was determined to marry her despite any objection they might make._

_It did occur to me that once Penny saw me in my native habitat as it were, she might be disillusioned. I was not the sophisticated and brilliant man in my home town. I was Smelly Pooper, the outcast, the pariah. Would she decide I was no longer worthy of her?_

_(from the personal journal of Sheldon Cooper, PhD)_

* * *

Missy picked them up at the airport in Galveston. She was extremely happy that Penny had come with Sheldon. She'd liked the girl when they'd met in Pasadena and was glad that Sheldon had gotten off his ass and finally got a girlfriend, especially one like Penny. But she was smart enough not to dwell on that to Sheldon.

Instead she told them about their mother's condition and the plans for her continued recovery.

"She'll be continuing her physical therapy until she's back to normal."

"Will you have to take her to a hospital for it?" Penny asked.

"No, Gary will come to the house to do it with her."

Penny saw the slight smile when she said the name and she couldn't help but ask, "Gary? Is that her therapist?"

"Yeah. He's also kind of, well, we've been kind of dating a little."

"Oh, is he nice?"

"Yeah, he's real nice. And he's been so good with Mom and really helping her recover."

Sheldon stared at his sister. "What happened to the rich man?"

"You were dating a rich guy?" Penny asked.

"No, no I wasn't dating anyone. I just wanted to meet a rich man. But Shelly made me realize that was a pretty foolish idea. And then I met Gary. He has a good job, but he's not rich. Only now, that really doesn't matter all that much."

Sheldon did not try to hide the self-satisfied smirk and Penny spoke quickly before he could, "That's terrific! It's a double bonus that he's your mom's physical therapist and a good guy too."

Missy saw the twitch on Sheldon's face and she gave him a break. "Yes, Shelly, I know, you were right. It was more important to meet someone who I liked instead of worrying about the money."

"Most people would be better off if they realized that I am usually right."

Both women rolled their eyes. Missy continued, speaking to Penny, "It's just that we grew up poor and I don't have a very good job myself. I wanted to be sure I'd be secure and that my future kids would be too. Is there anything wrong with that?"

"Nothing at all. And I agree with you."

"Penny!" Sheldon exclaimed.

"But sometimes," she continued, "What you think you need isn't really what you need. And the most important thing isn't the material things he brings to the relationship, but how you feel when you're with him."

She shot a small smile to her fiancé then and he relaxed.

"Yeah, you're right. And Gary makes me feel really special, you know?"

"I do."

They got to the Cooper home and as soon as they walked through the door, Penny found herself enveloped in a pair of warm arms.

"Oh," Meemaw said, "This is Sheldon's Penny! I am so happy to finally meet you!"

Penny laughed. "I'm happy to meet you too, Mrs.—" she realized she didn't know the woman's last name.

"Oh, just call me Meemaw. Everyone around here does anyway and you're practically family."

Penny exchanged a look with Sheldon, but no one seemed to be aware of anything unusual in what she said. This was reinforced when Missy said, "Once you start seeing anyone in this family, Meemaw adopts you. I've got old high school boyfriends still visiting her. Gets a bit weird at times, but what can you do."

Sheldon shrugged. Since he had no prior girlfriends, nor even friends that his grandmother knew, he really wasn't familiar with this. He was relieved that she didn't suspect anything about their engagement, as he had plans to reveal it to the family all at once.

"I want to get to know you, but first, let's get you two settled in. Sheldon, you're in your old bedroom. And Penny, you'll be staying in Missy's room."

Sheldon was about to protest, but his grandmother said, "Now, Moonpie, I know the two of you probably share a bed at home and it doesn't bother me a lick, but this is your mama's house and she won't like it. And since she's just coming home from the hospital, it probably wouldn't be a good idea to upset her."

"She's right, Sheldon," Penny said, touching his arm. "No reason to upset your mother."

He sighed and nodded, then carried their luggage upstairs and into their respective rooms. Missy walked Penny up and whispered, "Don't worry – I'm staying here for a few days, so if you two need to get away, you can use my apartment. And tell Sheldon I just changed the sheets.

They each unpacked, which for Sheldon meant carefully removing each carefully folded clothing item, shaking it out and refolding it, before carefully placing it in the drawers of his old bureau and for Penny meant hanging up one blouse that tended to wrinkle and leaving the rest in her suitcase on the floor while she fixed her makeup.

By the time they returned to the living room, George's truck was pulling up. Everyone went outside to greet Mary and help her inside.

Penny stood back, allowing Mary's mother and children to reach her first. But she observed the woman as she made her way up the walk on her son's arm.

Her gait was slow, but steady as she leaned on the cane, but her hesitation was clearly evident. She was smiling, but Penny noticed lines on the woman's face that weren't there he last time she saw her. Her children didn't seem to notice, but then again, they'd seen her just after her accident and she probably looked a lot better now than she had then.

After hugging her children and holding on to her mother's hand, she saw Penny and smiled again.

"Hello, darlin'!" Mary said, her speech a little slurred.

"Hello, Mrs. Cooper!" Penny cried, "I'm so happy to see you."

"And I'm so happy you came here with Shelly." She got close to Penny and spoke in her ear, "You finally found a worthy man."

"You're right."

"And I'm glad that my son finally used that big brain of his to pick you as a girlfriend."

"Thank you." Penny said.

"Mom, I use my brain for solving important scientific theories, not for choosing romantic partners."

"And yet you chose Penny."

"That I did with my heart."

Penny could feel her heart bursting at his words.

They settled Mary in an easy chair and everyone rushed about to get her food and something to drink and an extra pillow.

"Well, isn't this nice? Everyone fussin' over me."

After a little while, Mary dozed off on the easy chair and everyone went about doing other tasks. Meemaw and Missy went to the kitchen to start dinner. Sheldon, Penny and George sat on the front porch to talk. Penny noticed that Sheldon's brother bore a definite resemblance to him, minus Sheldon's beautiful blue eyes. But he was harder looking, as if life had punched him down a few times.

"I can't believe my baby brother got himself a girl like you." George said to Penny.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Sheldon asked him.

"Nothin' bad, Shelly. Just never thought you'd ever be interested in a woman and if you did, I figured it'd be some boring science chick. Not a real girl and a beautiful one at that."

Sheldon glared at him, jealousy in her eyes, but George shook his head.

"Don't be worryin', little bro. I'm not out to steal your girl." He said with a laugh. "But Shelly, I want to thank you for the advice you gave me. Right after you left, I started going to AA and now I've got fifty-seven days sober."

Sheldon stared at him. "I was here more than six months ago. Why do you only have fifty-seven days?"

"I fell off the wagon once, but I got back on and I keep working on it. I got a job too. It doesn't pay a lot, but it's steady work.

"And Cheryl took me back. She's learning to read, so she can get her GED. I watch Billy at night while she goes to school." He rose. "Well, I'm gonna go home, get cleaned up and bring Cheryl and Billy back for dinner."

"Oh, I get to meet Sheldon's nephew?" Penny said, "That's great."

"Oh, yeah, he's a pip. Smart as a whip. Sheldon gave him some test when he was here, then helped us find this school for him and he even paid the first six months for us. We applied for financial aid and we're gonna get it, so we'll be able to pay for it with just a little bit of work. But Cheryl started working again while Billy's in school and once she gets her GED, she can get an even better job."

As George took his leave, Penny turned to Sheldon. "You never told me you helped your brother like that."

"All I did was tell him to be a man and not one like our father."

She pulled him into her arms then and kissed him.

"What is that for?" he asked her.

"Because I love you. And because you're a real sweetheart."

"Penny."

"You are, don't deny it. You pretend you don't care about anyone, but then you take care of them. And you don't even brag about it."

He shrugged, but he pulled her closer and kissed her again.

"And what was that for?" she asked.

"Just because I love you too."

**Sorry, I was going to reveal the ring in this chapter, but I decided to break it up, so you will find out about it in the next one. And you won't have to wait as long for it as you did this time, I promise!**


	38. Chapter 38

**Time to reveal the ring!**

Chapter 38

_I could not understand why Penny believed there was something extraordinary in assisting my siblings. As a man of logic and intelligence, it was my duty to advise my brother and sister on how to improve their lives. And if that advice also required my intervention to be implemented, that would also be my duty._

_The unfortunate part is that many choose not to heed my advice, so much the worse for them. The world would be a much better place if all followed my lead._

_But I digress._

_However, I was interested in impressing Penny. Despite the fact that she had accepted my proposal, there was still the chance that she would become disillusioned with me and decide that marriage was not a viable option._

_I had found in myself an unalterable need to have her in my life. If I lost her, I was not sure I could continue with my normal routine, as she had become an intrinsic part of it._

_(from the personal journal of Sheldon Cooper, PhD_)

* * *

Later that evening the family gathered for a welcome home dinner for Mary. They planned a large party for the weekend that would encompass the extended family and friends, but that night was just for Mary and her immediate family. Missy invited Gary (the physical therapist) to join them, but he had to work. They had a good dinner, even though they didn't let Mary cook, Meemaw made the fried chicken and potato salad and Sheldon was in heaven.

After they finished dinner, they all went to the front porch to have dessert. Little Billy sat on his mother's lap and ate cake and ice cream. George sat beside his wife with his arm draped casually over her shoulder. He looked like a man who was lucky to have been given a second chance. Mary was seated with lots of pillows around her and a tea tray to hold her beverage and dessert since she was still a bit wobbly. Meemaw was on the rocker, with Sheldon and Penny on the loveseat beside her. Missy sat on the top step.

As everyone finished eating, Sheldon rose cautiously and cleared his throat. "May I have everyone's attention?"

Everyone stopped talking and looked at him curiously. Penny licked her lip nervously. She saw the slight pink in his cheeks and knew what he was going to say.

"Thank you. As you know, we have gathered here to celebrate my mother's homecoming and relative return of her good health. And since the immediate family is here, I thought this would be an ideal time to make an announcement."

He hesitated and swallowed hard, growing a little pinker. "A few weeks ago, the lovely woman who sits beside me agreed, albeit belatedly, to become my wife."

He had to pause as everyone immediately started talking excitedly. Missy jumped up to hug Penny. Sheldon held up his hand and waited again until they once again were silent.

"At the time that it was decided, I had not the opportunity to procure a symbolic representation of our engagement. I have since rectified that." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a velvet box. He went down on one knee, opened the box and presented it to Penny.

"I am asking this again, officially. Penny, will you marry me?"

"Oh, of course I will!" she said, then looked at the ring. "Oh, my God! Sheldon, it's beautiful!"

Missy, sitting beside Penny, peered at it. "Wow, it is. Shelly, did you pick that out?"

"Yes, of course I did."

"What kind of stone is that?" his sister asked, as she watched him slip it onto Penny's finger.

"It's an emerald."

"Why didn't you get her a diamond?"

"I selected an emerald because that stone is green, just like Penny's eyes."

There was an audible 'awww' from the women.

"And what's the ring made of?" Missy queried.

"It's rose gold, which has a slight copper hue. Copper …for Penny." His cheeks were visibly red now, as he avoided looking at anyone.

The women gave another "awww" and George rolled his eyes. Penny couldn't speak as tears were rolling down her face. She jumped into Sheldon's arms and almost knocked him over in her effort to kiss him.

George just shook his head. "Figures. My brother waits all this time for a girl and not only gets a knockout, he shows us all up with the romantic stuff."

Beside him, Cheryl linked her arm with his. "You giving up drinking and taking care of your family is the most romantic thing I can think of. I don't need fancy jewelry, I just need a man I can count on."

He smiled at her and kissed her.

* * *

The rest of the week was spent preparing for the party. Mary was not permitted to stand, so she sat at the table and decorated cupcakes and cookies. Meemaw and Missy did most of the cooking, although relatives and friends were all bringing food as well. Penny wasn't much of a cook, but she positioned herself in the kitchen to wash pots and pans as they finished with them. George was enlisted to set up tables and chairs outside.

After Sheldon had annoyed everyone with his comments and 'helpful' advice (sarcasm noted by all except him), they put him to work cleaning the rest of the house. Note: the rooms that the women were NOT working in.

"I swear, Penny, I don't know how you handle my brother." Missy told her.

"Yeah, he can get a little annoying."

"A little annoying?"

Penny laughed. "Okay, a lot. But that's what makes him…him." She shrugged. "And I love the guy with all the crazy included."

The three women looked at her and smiled.

"Darlin'," Mary said, "You don't know how happy I am that Shelly found someone like you to take care of him. Amy was a nice girl. But she never would have kept him grounded like you can."

Meemaw gave her a quick hug. "We're all happy. And we know you're gonna make him happy. That's the most important thing."

Penny could feel more tears coming. Sheldon's family was so great to her.

On the day of the big party, Penny selected a sunshine yellow sundress that fell to just above the swell of her breasts. It was trimmed in bright blue and she placed a Penny Blossom of the same blue in her hair. And she made Sheldon wear his 'club' outfit. The blue shirt matched the flower in her hair and that color made his eyes shine.

Missy whistled when she saw him9 "Who knew Shelly would clean up so good?"

Penny shouldn't have been surprised at the number of people that filled the house and yard. She grew up in a farm town and knew how close and friendly people could be in those small towns. There were relatives from both sides of Sheldon's family roaming about and friends from the town and Mary's church as well. She was introduced to what seemed like a million people and couldn't remember any of their names or who was who.

So she just grabbed a soda and wandered around, smiling at everyone.

She was surveying the scene when she heard voices behind her saying, "Whoa, baby!"

She turned around and saw two men. They were in their thirties, with dark hair and their resemblance to each other told her that they were related, maybe even brothers. And the very slight resemblance to Sheldon and his brother told her that they were probably related to her fiancé.

"Excuse me?" she said.

"I don't know where you came from, darlin', but I am glad that you did."

"Now, bro, I saw her first."

"No way! I saw her from across the yard!"

They started to argue with each other and she started to slip away, but one of them noticed and grabbed her arm. "Hey, where you goin'? We're just getting to know you. What's your name, darlin'?

She moved so that she was no longer in his grasp. "I'm Penny. I'm with Sheldon, actually…"

They both burst out laughing. "Sheldon? Ain't no way that Shelly brought a doll like you here."

"Yeah, that's the funniest thing I ever heard! Sheldon!"

Her eyes narrowed, as she realized these two were probably part of the reason that Sheldon's childhood had been tortuous.

"And who would you be?" she asked them.

"I'm Ralph and this is my brother Fred."

"We're Sheldon's cousins. Our daddies were brothers."

"And you're about the prettiest little thing we've seen in a long time, ain't that right, Fred?"

"It sure is. Why don't the three of us go find us someplace that's more fun?" Ralph said, putting his arm around Penny.

She shrugged him off and said, "I just told you, I'm here with Sheldon."

Ralph's eyes widened. "Whoa, Shelly must be making a lot of money to get a babe like you."

Her anger boiled and she was ready to show her Nebraska roots to these clowns. "And what is it the two of you do?"

"Well, I'm a roofer." Ralph said.

"And I'm an automobile technician." Fred added.

"No, you're not! You work at the filling station." His brother said.

"Well, sometimes I change the tires and check the oil."

"That don't make you no technician!"

"Yes, it—"

Penny cut him off. "Sheldon is a world famous scientist who will change the world someday. You two are losers that have the nerve to accuse me of being a golddigger and imply that the only way Sheldon could get a woman would be to buy one. Let me tell you, Sheldon Cooper is not only the smartest man on earth, he is the kindest and the sweetest and the best person I know. "

They laughed and tried again to pull her with them, until she heard someone cough behind her and turned to see the man in question standing there. His face was unreadable, but his blue eyes were shining.

"I see you have become acquainted with my cousins." Sheldon said. "The two of you will please remove your unquestionably germ-ridden hands from my future wife's body."

"Your what?" Ralph asked.

"My future wife."

"Hey, Shelly, good going! She's a hot piece of ass." Fred told him.

Penny saw Sheldon's lips constrict in a way that told her he was very angry. When he finally spoke, his voice was deep and dark. "You will unhand her and you will apologize for speaking of her in that manner."

"Yeah, right, what are you gonna do about it? Hey, Ralph, remember how you, me and George would beat the shit out of Shelly?"

"Yep, those were the days." His brother said.

"I'm not twelve years old any longer." Sheldon said.

"And he's not on his own anymore," said a voice from behind them. Penny and Sheldon turned to see George standing there.

"Come on, George, you used to have as much fun with him as we did."

"You're right, I did. But I was a jerk back then. Shelly's my brother and it's my job to stand by him. It shoulda been my job then to do that, but I didn't know any better. Now I do. And I know my little brother is a good man. So, unless the two of you think you can take Sheldon and me—"

"And me!" Penny chimed in, glaring at Sheldon's cousins. George smiled at her, Sheldon just shook his head.

"Okay, unless you can take the three of us, I think you'd better head on home."

They looked at George and Sheldon, then at Penny and with a glance at each other, they nodded and took off.

Sheldon breathed a sigh of relief. While he appreciated his brother and Penny's support and realizing that he had to stand his ground against those bullies, he did not hold out much hope of success against them.

"Thank you, George." He told his brother.

"No, you got no reason to thank me. It's what I shoulda done a long time ago. Can you forgive me for that?"

"You're my brother. Of course I forgive you."

George nodded, then walked off to join his family. Sheldon stared after him for a few moments, then turned to Penny.

"I trust you are not suffering any ill effects from your encounter with those Neanderthals."

"I'm fine, sweetie. I just can't believe you're actually related to them."

"Nor can I. It was quite the mystery to me as I grew up." He stared at her, then said, "Penny, were you sincere in the words you expressed about me to them?"

"Of course! Why wouldn't you think I was?"

"I have just never heard anyone, well, about my intelligence, yes, of course, but you said that I was kind and sweet and…"

"You are. You are everything I said and more. Why do you think I love you so much?"

He shrugged, but she could see his blue eyes shining, as he began to comprehend how much she truly loved him.

"And I didn't even get a chance to tell them what a great lover you are."

"Penny!"

She giggled and pulled him down for a kiss. "You know, Missy said we could use her apartment."

"Use it for what?"

"For some you and me time." She waggled her eyebrows to illustrate her point.

"Oh! I don't know, Penny, Missy has never been a very good housekeeper and…"

"She told me she changed the sheets. It'll be fine. Unless you'd rather stay here and talk with all of your relatives?"

He glanced around the yard, then back to her. "Let's go."

* * *

Penny got the keys and address from Missy and borrowed her car. Sheldon directed her to the duplex where his sister rented half of the first floor. It was small, but very cute and decorated in an easy style.

Sheldon immediately inspected the tables for dust and the kitchen for dirty dishes, but Missy had left it clean. Penny grabbed his hand and dragged him into the bedroom.

She pulled back the quilt and said, "See? Nice, fresh sheets."

"Hummph." He said, then walked into the bathroom to check the conditions there. As he started out, he said, "I would prefer to scrub this tub and toilet myself before we embark…"

He stopped because lying across the bed was his fiancé in her underwear, which consisted of a pair of pink lace panties and matching bra.

He swallowed hard as he looked at her.

She smiled. "Come here, sweetie. We haven't had a chance to consummate our engagement."

"Penny, one consummates a marriage, not an engagement. And even if one did, we have engaged in intercourse since you accepted my proposal."

"But not since our OFFICIAL engagement." She waved her hand with her ring at him. "So, come over here so that I can ravish you."

He was going to correct her, but his libido stopped him from talking and he went to her and pulled her up into his arms, kissing her with passion.

In a low voice, he said, "Thank you for defending me."

"Always, sweetie, always."

**Okay, I want to give you my philosophy about something that I saw in a response to a comment I left: Someone said why didn't the writers see the chemistry between Sheldon and Penny. First of all, I don't think they intended their be that kind of chemistry between them. I think they just wanted a friendly adversorial relationship. I believe it was the actors that made it something else with the way they are together. Next point: Do I think Sheldon and Penny belong together? Hell yes! Do I want the writers to put them together now? Hell no! Not until the last few episodes of the final season of the show. If you want to know why, I can only refer you to my House fandom. To those fans, I need only say two words: Season 7. If you don't know what I'm talking about, consider yourself lucky. And let's keep the sexual chemistry going on as long as we can between these two unless you want to see the series end.**

**Okay, done with my ranting. Thanks for all of your reviews and support!**


	39. Chapter 39

**Sorry for making you wait!**

Chapter 39

_Penny was happy with the ring I selected for her and the women of my family were surprised that I had personally designed the ring. But my Penny deserved a ring as unique as she was._

_I believe myself to be above base emotions such as anger, but I must admit that when I observed my cousins with their filthy hands on my Penny, I experienced a rarely felt surge of rage. I could have literally torn their heads from their bodies, even though I am aware I do not possess sufficient upper body strength for the task. It disgusted me to have such primitive feelings, but as far as Penny was concerned, I was powerless against it._

_This was exacerbated by the fact that those two were the major nemeses of my childhood. Despite being my first cousins, they took every opportunity to torture me. As a Homo Novus, I have tried to cultivate forbearance to those who caused me pain, but it was extremely difficult. As my father and theirs were brothers and very close, they were often at our house or we were taken to theirs. Unfortunately, they learned their bad behavior from their father. I would have liked to say that my father did not participate in the hazing, but if I did I would be lying._

_Suffice it to say that when my brother George defended me that day, it was the first time any male relation did so. And of course, my Penny also spoke up to help me._

_(From the personal journal of Sheldon Cooper, PhD)_

* * *

Sheldon and Penny spent a few more days in Texas so that Sheldon could be sure his mother would be alright. They had settled the insurance from the accident and there was more than enough to pay all her medical bills and for her therapy and a home health aide as well. He reviewed the schedule with his sister and grandmother, interviewed several aides before selecting two that would be good for caring for his mother. He promised to Skype with them at least twice a week to monitor her progress as well.

Once all of that was settled, they flew home to California.

Sheldon was happy to sit in his spot and relax after the stress of dealing with airlines and his family. But Penny was restless. She'd taken two weeks off from work and there was still a few days left. Then she'd be going back to school and working at the same time. Not to mention keeping her fiancé happy and planning a wedding. Things were about to get crazy and she really needed some down time.

"Let's go somewhere." She told Sheldon.

"Go somewhere? Well, I suppose I could go to the comic book store. I missed two new comic days."

"No, I mean let's go on a trip somewhere."

"We just returned from a trip."

"Yeah, but that was with your family. It wasn't really a vacation. I want to go somewhere fun."

"Penny—" he began.

"Ooh, I know! Let's go to the beach for the weekend!"

"Uh, no."

"Why not? The beach is fun!"

"Excuse me if I don't consider melanoma as the definition of fun."

"Mela what?"

"Skin cancer."

She rolled her eyes. "You can use sunscreen. I'll get you SPF one million or something."

"There is no—"

"Well, whatever the highest number is. Come on, Sheldon, this is my last free weekend before school starts and with work and all, I'll be really busy. I just want to get away and relax. We can drive to Malibu Saturday morning, stay the night and come home late on Sunday."

"Stay? At a hotel?" he looked horrified at that thought.

"Yes at a hotel. I'll let you pick. You can do your research or call the FBI or whatever."

"I'll miss laundry night."

Exasperated, she said, "You can do your laundry Friday night instead. The world will not end, I promise you. Please, Sheldon, please?"

He looked at her pleading green eyes and knew there was no way he could refuse her.

"Very well. I shall begin reading hotel reviews and will let you know which ones are acceptable." He headed to his computer and she smiled.

Bright and early Saturday morning – earlier than Penny would have liked, but later than Sheldon wanted – they were in her car heading to the beach. Sheldon had a huge vat of sunscreen in the highest SPF he could purchase and a list of three acceptable hotels. He would personally inspect them before agreeing to stay.

Penny was just happy she had gotten him to agree to only three so that they wouldn't spend the day inspecting hotels.

The first one seemed okay, but then he saw the desk clerk sneeze and he refused to stay. He wouldn't even get out of the car at the second one, once he heard music coming from the lobby.

Penny was getting frustrated. "Sheldon, we are staying in Malibu. So the next one had better be okay or you'll be sleeping on the beach while I take a room."

He glared at her, but approved the next hotel. She was glad, because it was lovely. They checked into their room and after Sheldon inspected the bed and the bathroom, he sat on the chair in the room and said, "This will be satisfactory."

"Great. Let's go to the beach."

"Penny…"

"I'm here to go to the beach, Sheldon and that's what I intend to do." She grabbed her bag and went into the bathroom. She didn't want him to see her in her bathing suit until they were on the beach. When she emerged, she had a long button down tunic on over her bathing suit which really wasn't visible. She was wearing flip flops and carrying a large straw tote.

"Okay, I'm ready. Come on, sweetie, you need to get changed for the beach."

"Really, Penny? Where is your sunscreen? It should be put on at least an hour before you expose yourself to the harmful ultraviolet rays of the sun. And where is your umbrella and chair? Not to mention a hat. You can get sunburn on your head through your hair."

She rolled her eyes. "I just put some on my face and shoulders and it only has to be a half hour before. By the time we get there, we'll be fine. And I don't need a chair or umbrella. I have a blanket and a towel. I'm set. Now you go get ready."

The look on her face told him that he'd better listen to her. He sighed and took some things out of his suitcase and went into the bathroom. She thought it was cute that even though they'd had sex many times and were engaged, he was still embarrassed to get undressed in front of her.

She laughed when he came out. He was wearing long plaid swim trunks, a white t-shirt and his socks and sneakers with a large straw hat on his head. He was also slathered with so much sunscreen that he looked like a woman getting a facial.

"Sweetie, the sunscreen doesn't have to be that thick."

"Penny, I have no intention of contracting skin cancer on this excursion."

"It will do the job without laying it on like cement."

He wiped a little off, but she could still see white traces on his skin. She picked up her beach bag and headed out, while he trailed behind her still complaining.

"With no chair, where will you sit?"

"I'll be laying on my blanket."

He was horrified. "Right on the sand? Woman, that's ludicrous!"

"No, it's not. It's fun. And before you ask, I don't need an umbrella, because I want to lay in the sun."

"Penny, I can't spend my day like that!"

"Fine, you can rent an umbrella and chair."

"That will be satisfactory."

After inspecting every chair and umbrella available, he finally selected the ones that he deemed in the best working condition. As he set up them up on the sand, Penny removed her blanket from the tote and spread it out on the sand. Then she slipped off her tunic. Sheldon, satisfied with the position of the chair and umbrella, finally sat down and glanced at Penny.

And his heart stopped for a moment.

He hadn't seen her bathing suit in the hotel room, but now he found himself staring at a tiny red bikini. There was barely enough material to cover the strategic points of her body and little gold rings held the sides together both on the top and bottom.

Even though he had seen her in various forms of undress, including naked, the bathing suit held him spellbound. Then she came towards him, smiling a little at the expression on his face.

"Sweetie, would you rub some lotion on my back? It's hard to get there myself."

He nodded and she handed him the sunscreen. Somehow he found the presence of mind to squirt some of the lotion into his hand and apply it to her back. But the moment he touched her smooth skin, he once again lost all semblance of sense.

His arm felt wooden as he tried to use it to spread the lotion on her back. But somehow he finished it and she turned and smiled at him. "Thanks, sweetie."

She lay face down on the blanket and reached behind her to undo the bikini and move the fabric aside.

"Penny! You cannot expose yourself in such a way on a public beach."

"Relax. I'm not exposing myself. I'm lying down. No one will see anything. I just don't like a tan line on my back."

He swallowed hard and looked back at the physics journal he had brought with him, but his eyes kept roaming to Penny's naked back.

After about thirty minutes, she reached back and secured the top once again. He breathed a silent sigh of relief. Then she stood up.

"Let's go in the water!" she said.

"Uh, no, I don't think so."

"Why not?"

"Penny, are you aware of the numerous pathogens existing in the ocean? And those are only the natural ones. That is not taking into account what might be passed on by the other occupants of this beach. It's a virtual stewpot of germs."

"Oh, come on, Sheldon, we have to live a little! I love the ocean."

"No."

"Suit yourself. I'm going in."

She headed to the ocean. He tried to concentrate on his journal, but his eyes kept following her as she frolicked in the water. Then his eyes darkened as he saw two young men approach her. She smiled at them as they talked to her.

Penny had no interest in the beach boys that were talking to her, but they seemed harmless and she was naturally friendly. Plus, they might serve an additional purpose.

She was only talking with them for a few minutes when that purpose manifested itself in the person of her fiancé. He was still wearing the white t-shirt, but he had removed the socks and shoes and at least he was in the damn water.

The guys that were talking to her looked at him, especially when she went up to him and took his arm.

"So, this is my fiancé." She told them. The looks were incredulous, but since she seemed sincere, they shrugged, said goodbye and moved on.

"Penny, why were you flirting with those men?" he asked her.

"I wasn't flirting; I was just talking to them."

"No, you were flirting. Do you wish to pursue other men?"

"Of course not! I was just being friendly. Come on, let's play in the water."

"No, I must return to the beach."

"Oh come on, sweetie, you're here and already wet. Might as well enjoy it."

He looked at her strangely, then sighed and nodded. "How do you propose we 'play'?"

"Haven't you ever been in the ocean before?"

"No, as a child we went to the Gulf of Mexico. But I avoided the beach and water as much as possible."

She looked at him sadly. "You were lucky enough to have water nearby and you avoided it? That's just sad. Well, we could start like this." She put her hands in the water and sent a stream of it towards him in a big whoosh.

"Penny!" he sputtered, but she had already dived under and came out on the other side of him and sent another stream of water towards him. He turned quickly and was about to chastise her, however, Sheldon learned quickly. He watched her go under and as soon as she popped her head up again, he sent a steam of water her way, catching her by surprise and dousing her. She sputtered and laughed. They continued like that for quite a while, until she called time. Then she went up to him and put her arms around him, pulling him close.

"Now wasn't that more fun than just sitting on the beach?"

"I know what you did. You purposely spoke to those men so that I would come into the water."

"It worked, didn't it?"

"Yes, but I don't enjoy that sort of manipulation."

"Well, if you'd just loosen up and have some fun, I wouldn't have to do that. And you're not above using manipulation yourself."

"What are you talking about?"

"One word: chocolate."

He stared at her for a few moments, then said, "You knew about that."

"Of course. I wondered why you were being so nice and I asked Leonard."

"And he told you?"

"Oh, please. Offer sex to Leonard and he'd sell his soul for a quarter."

"That's true." He sighed. "Alright, I agree, any sort of manipulation between us is wrong. We need to be entirely honest with each other."

"Well, if you'd be willing to expand your horizons a bit, there would be no need for it."

He thought about that for a few moments, then nodded. "Perhaps you're right. I shall try to be more flexible."

"Wonderful!" Then she kissed him. He enjoyed the feeling of her almost naked body near his, but he did not enjoy the public display.

"Perhaps we should take this back to our hotel room?"

She smiled and nodded. Then went back to the beach, quickly packed up their stuff, returned the chair and umbrella and in no time were opening the door of their hotel room.

They were no sooner inside, than Sheldon was pulling her roughly into his arms. She could feel that he was already semi-erect. He pulled the tunic off her shoulders and removed his shirt as well, then pushed her up against the door of the room, running his hands up and down her body.

Eventually, they pulled away from the door, but not each other as they made their way to the bed and fell onto it. It was a quick scramble to remove the rest of their clothes and in mere seconds, he was inside her and she was screaming his name.


	40. Chapter 40

**I am as sorry as I can possibly be for the delay in this story. I could give you a lot of very valid reasons for it, but honestly, I know you don't really care. You just want the story. I hope all my faithful and wonderful readers are still out there. I promised you in the beginning that I would finish this and I will. I know how it will end, I even have some of the ending written. It's just some of the bits in between that I still have to work on. But here is the next chapter and hopefully, I can get another one out by the end of next week. Again, my profound apologies! **

Chapter 40

_As a child growing up in Texas, my mother and her church tried to instill in me the evils of pursuing the seven deadly sins and the benefits of following the seven virtues. While I believe all religion, and especially my mother's, to be hokum, this mode of behavior was actually wise. It also aligned with my desire to follow the example of Don Quixote. This was the way he lived his life. _

_And so I chose to do the same; rejecting the sins of wrath, greed, sloth, pride, lust, envy and gluttony, while I tried to include patience, charity, diligence, humility, chastity, kindness and temperance in my everyday life._

_I had been mostly successful in that endeavor. Until Penny._

_She had turned so much of my world upside down in so many ways that I lost track of over the years. It was at this point in our relationship, that I began to take stock of my life and where it was headed. _

_As I became overwhelmed with strong emotions that had previously been foreign to me, I began to see that I had let those seven deadly sins infiltrate my life and behavior. To note:_

_Wrath: Throughout my life, I had kept anger at bay. In the past I had dealt with the bullies that tormented me by ignoring their slurs and patiently enduring their torture. But when my cousins had dared to put their hands on Penny, I had allowed anger to almost overwhelm me. I felt a great desire to impart physical harm on them._

_Greed: I suppose one could say that my desire for the Nobel Prize might be considered greed, but in the past that desire had stemmed from wishing to bring some great knowledge to the world. But since my relationship with Penny, I wanted it to show her how wonderful I was. Which could also be part of the next sin…_

_Pride: And more than the Nobel, I was proud of myself for winning the heart of a woman like Penny, even though many, including my own friends, wondered how that was possible. Every time people looked at us as though to say, "she's with him?", I felt an unprecedented swell of pride._

_Sloth: Throughout my life, I have risen with the sun and began my day. However, there were many Sunday mornings when I was most content to remain in bed next to Penny's warm, soft body. In truth, I could have remained there all day._

_Lust: The sight of Penny in her miniscule bikini did things to my libido that I did not think could ever happen. And when we returned to our hotel room, I could not keep my hands off of her. I did not even consider the sand and surf that was undoubtedly on our bodies in my anxiousness to possess her carnally. That was not the only time. My head was always filled with lustful thoughts of her._

_Envy: This could be manifested as jealousy. If any other men even spoke to her, I felt such overwhelming emotion and found myself intervening and behaving in manners that were entirely foreign to me, including rushing into the germ-filled ocean to claim her as mine and discourage those brutes that dared to talk to her._

_Gluttony: Gluttony can also manifest itself as selfishness, and that was a part of our paradigm as well. I did not want to share her with anyone else, including our friends. I even resented the girls nights she sometimes enjoyed with Amy and Bernadette, wishing her to spend that time with me._

_So I was more than aware of the sins that I was now guilty of since commencing my relationship with Penny. The logical part of me said this was dangerous and would impact my future work and legacy to the world and that I should cease this behavior. But ceasing would require giving up Penny._

_I could not give up Penny._

_(from the personal journal of Sheldon Cooper, PhD)_

* * *

After their trip to the beach, life settled back into its normal routine, to Sheldon's relief and Penny's exasperation. Her time was filled with her schoolwork and her job. Her bitchy manager still hadn't hired any additional servers and everyone was overworked. And her classes weren't much better.

Despite Sheldon's tutoring, Penny still had a hard time with the math and science classes. However, she was very good at art and English, which only made her work harder at those classes so that she would excel there.

And then there was the wedding. She didn't even know where to begin planning it.

"What kind of wedding do you want?" She asked Sheldon.

"The kind of wedding that culminates in our being legally joined."

She rolled her eyes, "I know that. I mean, do you want big or small? In a church or not? Formal or informal? That kind of stuff."

"Well, most definitely not in a church."

"What about your mother? Won't she be mad?"

"My mother is aware that although I love and respect her, I will not give in to her allegiance to a deity that I do not believe in simply to appease her. I do not wish to marry in a church. Other than that, I have no opinion. Furthermore, I was informed by my colleagues that the bride is in charge and that my only duties were to 'shut up and show up'."

She smiled. "Yeah, pretty much. Still, I really don't know where to start, so any ideas you have would be welcome. Do you want your family at the wedding?"

"Hmm, that could be problematic. I am not sure if my mother's health would allow her to travel, let alone Meemaw. Further, George would not have sufficient funds to make the trip."

"I guess we could do it in Texas."

"No. I most assuredly do not wish to wed in Texas." He told her. "My family will be invited. If they cannot attend, that is their problem."

She shrugged. "Okay, if that's what you want."

"What about your family? Will they wish to attend?"

"Oh, um, maybe. Guess we'll see. They don't have a bunch of money either, so who knows."

"I have neglected to inquire on your family's reaction to our engagement." Sheldon told her.

"Oh, um, they're fine." She hedged.

"I have been remiss. Social convention requires that I speak to them on the matter. Perhaps I should call them to introduce myself."

"Oh, no, you don't need to do that. They're fine."

"Well, what did they say when you told them?"

"Um, they said it was good, great."

Even Sheldon could tell when she was avoiding the truth. "Penny, have you told them about our upcoming nuptials?"

"Not exactly."

Quietly, he asked, "Are you embarrassed to be marrying me?"

"Oh, God, no! Sheldon, no, I am so proud and happy to be marrying you!"

"Are you concerned that they won't like me?"

"No, sweetie, they'll love you. It's me. I'm the problem."

"I don't understand."

"In their eyes, I'm a loser. My dad wanted me to be a boy, so once I hit puberty and lost interest in sports, that dream died. My mom only saw me as a pretty girl. 'You're pretty, Penny, you need to focus on that.' All my life, that's all I heard. I think that's why I wanted to be an actress. I got parts in high school because I was the prettiest girl. Why wouldn't the same thing happen in Hollywood?

"Of course, my family didn't believe I could do it and I certainly couldn't do it alone. When Kurt asked me to go with him, they encouraged it because they thought I needed someone to take care of me. And when he cheated on me, do you know what my mother said to me?"

"No, how could …" he began.

"She asked if I'd been letting myself go. Was I gaining weight or not wearing makeup everyday? And when I left him, they were sure I'd never make it alone. That's why I've fought so hard to make it on my own.

"They were no better with my brother and sister. Why do you think my sister got pregnant at sixteen or my brother started selling drugs? When I'm the least screwed up member of my family, that should tell you something. Considering how screwed up I am."

"You are not 'screwed-up'. You are quite normal."

"Thanks, sweetie. I wish that was true. Do you want to know why I even considered dating Leonard?"

"Not really."

"I'm telling you anyway. Remember that Halloween party I had right after I moved in?"

"Penny, of course I remember it, you know that—"

"Yeah, yeah, super memory. Well, anyway, after Kurt harassed Leonard, and you and he went home, I went to see him and apologize. I was telling him how screwed up I was and he said, 'no, you're perfect.' No one ever told me that before and it was so nice to hear. I knew that Leonard felt that way about me and after my family and guys like Kurt, I needed that."

He couldn't not say his next words, "Penny, you're not perfect. No one is. Not even me."

"Well, I know I'm not. But, you don't think you are?"

"Of course not. If I were perfect, I would already have a Nobel Prize. As I have not yet attained it, I cannot possibly be perfect."

"Yeah, that's the reason," she said sarcastically.

"Does it upset you that, unlike Leonard, I do not believe you to be perfect?"

"No, because I know that I'm not and you're honest with me. And you love me for who I really am and you'll never lie to me. In the end, Leonard's dream of me was something I could never live up to.

'So to answer your question, no, I'm not worried about their reaction to you. They'll love you. I'm worried about their reaction to you with me. I know what they'll say: He's so smart. What will you talk to him about for the next thirty years? You'd better be sure to keep your looks – that's all you have to offer a man like that."

"Penny, that's not true."

"I know that! Do you think I don't know that? I've spent the last ten years trying to prove that I have worth beyond my looks. For a long time, the only one I ever proved it to was myself and sometimes even that got hard. Until you. You've made me happy in so many ways, but never more than when you told me you loved me for what's inside me."

"Penny." He said simply and pulled her into his arms as she collapsed against his chest. All the pain she'd held in during her speech, hell, during her life, broke free and the tears flowed. Sheldon felt lost, not sure what to do.

But she told him, "Just hold me."

So he did.

After a while, he spoke, "Penny, although I can appreciate your trepidation in this matter, I believe that at some point you will have to inform them of our marriage. Eventually, they may wish to know the identity of the man with whom you are living. And should we produce offspring, they would most naturally wish to be acquainted with their father."

"I know, I know! Okay, tomorrow after work, I'll call them."

"You could do it in the morning."

"First, I want you with me. Second, I can't drink before I go to work and I definitely need a drink before I can talk to them."

* * *

The next day, after two glasses of wine and with Sheldon standing beside her, she called her parents' number.

"Hi, Mom, it's me…yes, I know I haven't called in weeks."

Sheldon watched Penny roll her eyes and listened as she spent the next fifteen minutes saying repeatedly, "Really?"

When her mother finally stopped talking, Penny said, "Well, Mom I have some exciting news…no, I didn't get an acting job…I know…I know… I told you the last few times that I'm going to school now…I know…I know…I know…Anyway, my news is that I'm engaged…yes, of course to be married…I know…I know…no, it's not Leonard."

She saw the scowl on Sheldon's face and told her mother, "Actually, he's Leonard's roommate…I know…yes, it's…no, he isn't…it's fine…no, it's fine." There was more eye-rolling. "Well, he's a physicist at Cal Tech just like Leonard." Another scowl and she quickly added, "But Sheldon's a theoretical physicist which is even better than Leonard. He's really smart…I know…yes, I know…I know…it's fine…it's fine. Hey, he's right here, would you like to say hello?"

Sheldon had deer in headlights fear in his eyes, but Penny glared at him and handed him the phone.

"Hello." He said, "How are you?"

Those were the last words he spoke for awhile. Penny's mother simpered about how thrilled she was, how lucky Penny was, how she couldn't wait to meet him. He really couldn't have gotten a word in even if he'd known what to say to her. After a few minutes of that, Penny, aware of what was being said, took pity on him, nodded and held out her hand.

With relief, Sheldon said, "Um, here's Penny."

She took the phone back and resumed the pointless conversation. "Hi, Mom. Yes, he is…yes…yes… yes, I know…I know…I know." After a few more minutes of that, Penny finally said, "Well, Mom, I have to go…yes…yes...oh, no, I can't…no…I know…no…okay, goodbye."

When she finally disconnected, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath that was still laced with a cry.

Sheldon realized that he needed to comfort her. "Do you require a hot beverage?"

'No, I require a stiff drink."

His look was disapproving, so she added, "But I won't have one. I know that's not helping. How about this: how about you just hold me for a while?"

He nodded and opened his arms. She went to him and he closed his arms around her. As she buried her face in his chest, his chin rested on the top of her head. They stayed like that for several minutes before she broke away and looked at him.

"I'm sorry, she always affects me that way."

"What did she say to you?"

"Oh, the same crap I usually hear, except even gooier. All about how you were so very smart and I'd better be sure to keep my figure and crap so that you don't lose interest because why else would a smart guy be with me if it wasn't for the sex."

"Penny, that's not true!"

"I know that, sweetie, but trying to explain it to her is pointless. She never listens to anything I say anyway and even if she does, she twists my words to fit her view of me. I mean, I know we had to tell about our engagement, but I almost wish we didn't."

"As that is completed and my family is settled at the moment, we need not be concerned about our relatives for the time being."

"Yep. Thank God for that!"

* * *

**Since we really don't know very much about Penny's family, I've created my own version of them for this story in order to explain some of her behavior. **

**I assume everyone's seen the season premier by now, but no spoilers in case someone didn't. Despite, the Shamy, I liked it. But I don't like Jim's hair. I don't mind it a little longer, but the way he's wearing it now is a little weird. Can we get a stylist in there to do something with it? **


	41. Chapter 41

**Sorry again for the delay! It wasn't as long this time, was it? Hopefully, the rest of the story should move along a little quicker. We're also heading towards the end as well.**

Chapter 41

_The vagaries of family life had often perplexed me. Why were people born into a specific family situation and how did that affect their development._

_My mother possessed an overabundance of maternal care and affection, while Leonard's was cool and logical. By rights, we should have been raised by each other's parent. But how would that have changed us? Would I be the same brilliant scientist that I was without having to overcome my mother's doting? Or would I have been even more successful with Beverly Hofstader leading me? Although, in retrospect, it did not make Leonard a better scientist so who is to say?_

_Those were hypothetical questions with no answers, since we could not switch mothers and be raised once again, more's the pity. _

_The fact remained that we were the products of our upbringing, good or bad. And apparently, Penny's mother's opinion of her shaped her into the woman I loved, faults and all. The question now presented itself: how would the people that she and I were affect any children we might produce?_

_(from the personal journal of Sheldon Cooper, PhD)_

* * *

Penny came home from work and went into 4A to find her fiancé. Leonard was watching television and told her that Sheldon was in his bedroom.

Since she'd spent many nights in his bed, she didn't have any qualms walking into his bedroom, still, she knew he valued his privacy, so she knocked and called out, "Sheldon?"

"You may enter, Penny."

She went in to find him with a suitcase open on his bed and some clothes neatly folded beside it.

"Whatcha doin'?" she asked him.

He looked at her quizzically. "I would think that even without your one completed year of community college, you would comprehend my actions based on the clues."

"Okay, yeah, you're packing. Why?"

"Because I am going on a trip. Why else would one pack a small suitcase?"

She bit her lip and tried to remember that the smartest man in the world was also the most literal.

"Okay, let's start over. Hi, Sheldon. I see you're packing, which means you are going on a trip. Where, pray tell, are you going?"

He nodded his head in approval. "I am attending a seminar in Chicago, led by Doctor Irving Rasmussen."

"Oh, wow."

"You've heard of him?"

"Of course not. But I guess you have."

"Oh, I've met him several times before. He's brilliant and very astute as well. He especially requested that I attend this seminar. It's going to be wonderful."

"How long will you be gone?"

"Five days."

"Well, I'll miss you, sweetie." She went to him and kissed him. "But I think I can manage a surprise for you when you come home." She added with a smirk.

"Penny, you know I don't like surprises."

"Sex, Sheldon, I'm talking about sex. The I've-missed-you-for-five-days kind of sex. Understand?"

"Oh. Oh, yes, that would be acceptable." But she saw the slight pink in his cheeks and was happy she was still able to make him blush after all they'd done together.

She returned to the living room to find Howard and Bernadette had joined Leonard there.

"Hey," she said with a smile, "What are you guys doing here?"

"Anything to get away from Howard's mother!" Bernadette complained, glaring at her husband.

"It is getting pretty tense in that house." Howard agreed.

"Then why don't you just move out?"

"Well, because…" Howard began.

"No, Howard," Penny told him, "No excuses. You're married now. Your first priority is to your wife. I know it's hard on your mother, but unless you want to spend your life tied to mommy's apron strings, you need to cut the cord and get out of there."

"That's what I've been telling him!" Bernadette said.

"I know, I know! But can we just change the subject for now?"

"Sure." Penny said, then turned to Leonard. "Who's this guy that Sheldon's going to see at his seminar?"

"Doctor Rasmussen. He is a really brilliant scientist. And a bigger blowhard than Sheldon."

"Is that even possible?" Howard asked.

"Hey! That's my fiancé!" Penny protested.

"You said yes."

"I know." She sighed. "And yeah, he can be a bit of a pain. But he can be sweet too."

"Well, this guy isn't sweet. He's a jerk. But Sheldon thinks he's great, so whenever he invites Sheldon to a conference or seminar, Sheldon runs."

She looked worried. "He's not going to hurt Sheldon, is he?"

Leonard shook his head. "No. He's a blowhard, but pretty harmless. They'll probably brag about their work together for awhile and they'll both feel puffed up for days after. But nothing serious."

"Okay," she said, then walked back to Sheldon's room and put her arms around him. "I'm gonna miss you, sweetie."

"Well, of course you will." When he saw her glare, he added, "I shall also notice your absence from my vicinity."

She just rolled her eyes and kissed him.

* * *

Although Sheldon didn't usually enjoy conferences and seminars, when there were scientists that he respected there, he was more than willing to participate.

Dr. Rasmussen was one of those scientists. He was very smart in his own right, but he also admired Sheldon's brilliance. Sheldon couldn't help but like anyone who was astute enough to do that. He also seemed to like Sheldon as a person. He was more than twenty years older than Sheldon, so he was also a bit of a mentor as well.

They met for dinner on the first evening that Sheldon was in Chicago. After discussing the latest news in science for a bit, Dr. Rasmussen asked Sheldon, "Dr. Cooper, how old are you now?"

"I am thirty-two."

"And you haven't married yet?"

"No, but I am engaged to be married."

"Oh, that's wonderful! Is your betrothed an intellectual? No, I shouldn't ask that. Of course she is. A man like you would do no less."

He didn't notice the slight twitch on Sheldon's face. He continued, "You know that men such as we are have a responsibility to the world to produce children of high intelligence. It's our duty to improve the human race. My wife is a professor of economics and we have produced four children, all of whom are in the process of obtaining advanced degrees."

"Congratulations." Sheldon said, not quite sure what he should say to that.

'Thank you."

"How fortunate that you were able to meet a woman with the credentials you desired "

"Fortune had nothing to do with it, Dr. Cooper. I sought out a woman with the correct credentials and when I found her, I married her. I did not waste time worrying about emotional attachments or physical desire. Her intelligence was my only consideration."

"So you put no stock in physical desire?"

"Oh, I am a human male. I have the physical needs that any man does. But there are others to fulfill those. I respect and admire my wife and she is a worthy mother to my children. That is all that matters."

"You are unfaithful to your wife?"

"We are men of the world, Dr. Cooper. We understand that our contributions to science and knowledge in general transcend outdated morals. When the baser urges call, we know that we must answer them in order to free our minds for higher things. No different than our needs for food or sleep, correct?"

Sheldon was silent and Dr. Rasmussen moved on to other subjects. But even though he joined in the discussion, his mind was reeling with what the man had said.

* * *

Sheldon's plane arrived in Pasadena while Penny was at work, so Raj picked him up. When he got to his apartment, he unpacked and put his clothes in his dirty clothes hamper (anything that traveled to Chicago had to be washed) and sat down to his computer for some work.

He heard a noise in the hallway and after looking at his watch, realized that Penny was home. He saved his work, closed his laptop and took his key from the bowl, then went to the hall. She was opening her door, but turned when she heard him.

"Sheldon! You're home!"

"Of course I am. I couldn't' be standing here if I wasn't." he said as he approached her.

She smiled and put her arms around him. "I missed you so much."

"Your absence was also noted."

She pulled him inside her apartment and kissed him passionately. He hesitated only briefly before responding to her kiss. Within minutes they were in her bed, clothes forgotten, hands and lips all over each other.

As they lay together afterwards, Penny whispered, "I really hated you being away. It's not the same when you're not here."

"How could it be the same if I am not here as it is when I am here?"

"Sheldon." She said sternly, but she was smiling at him. "We really need to make some decisions about our wedding. And about our marriage."

"I have told you that I have few preferences for our wedding. Unless you were willing to consider a Doctor Who themed ceremony?" he asked hopefully.

"No."

"Well, then, anything is fine. You choose. But what do we need to decide concerning our marriage?"

"We never really talked about it. Where are we going to live? Do you want kids? Stuff like that."

"We shall live, I assume, in my apartment as it is larger and I don't want to move."

"What about Leonard?"

"Once we have set a wedding date, I will give him sufficient notice to vacate. It might be a moot point, as I believe he has all but decided to cohabit with Nancy."

"Oh, good for him!"

"I do wish to sire a child."

"Cool. I want kids too." She snuggled up to him. "What do you think our kids will be like?"

"I hadn't considered, but my hope is that they would possess my intelligence and your beauty."

"Really? You want them to look like me?"

"As I have found, people are more open to those whose pulchritude is superior. Coupled with my intelligence, they should be leaders in their fields."

"Well, you're not a slouch looks wise either, sweetie. But let's hope they don't get my brains instead. That would be a cruel joke, huh?"

Afterwards, Penny dozed with her head on his chest. He stroked her blonde hair but didn't sleep. There was too much to think about.

**Warning: there is angst ahead. I did tell you that I believe characters need to work for their happy endings.**

**On the note of the new episodes, I guess since I just started watching the show last year, I'm not as disillusioned as others might be. I'm also used to shows developing and changing over the seasons and I don't mind new characters. And as much as I want it, Shenny can't happen until the end of the final season of the show or it might kill it.**

**And one more note on Jim's hair: it looks much better in the next episodes, thankfully!**


	42. Chapter 42

Chapter 42

_I had not fully considered the possibility of offspring with Penny. For a long time, our relationship was undetermined. But once she accepted my marriage proposal, it was clear that she might conceivably be the mother of my children. In the past when I thought about progeny, I'd assumed I would find a woman of high IQ. Obviously not as high as mine – there are few people in the world who are – but at the very least as smart as Leonard (and I am being extremely generous in that!)._

_While Penny was by no means stupid, her IQ (which I have not measured) was at best slightly above average. That gave our prospective children only a fifty percent chance of high intelligence._

_On the day that I first met her, Leonard and I had just returned from an attempt to sell our sperm to a facility that promised women all of the samples would be from men of superior intelligence. At the last minute, I refused to participate, as my fear was that instead of my superior genes, my sample might contain those of one of my siblings. I assumed that no mother of high intelligence would love a child of less than genius IQ._

_However, I was now faced with the very real possibility that future progeny Penny and I would create could very well inherit her intelligence, not mine. To say that distressed me would be an understatement. I felt I would be doing future generations a disservice by not passing on my superior intellect._

_Furthermore, I wondered: could I love an offspring of mine with only average intelligence?_

_It was an idea that I needed to ponder._

_(from the personal journal of Sheldon Cooper, PhD)_

* * *

Penny noticed that Sheldon was quiet over the next few days, but she wasn't overly concerned. She just assumed he was involved in his work. Since he hadn't gone crazy and taken to his whiteboards, she figured it wasn't too bad.

They were eating dinner one evening when Sheldon took a deep breath and said, "Penny, I have been pondering a situation for some time and I believe I have found a solution that I must discuss with you."

"What is it, sweetie?"

"A few days ago, you inquired as to what our children might be like."

"I remember."

"I wish to explain to you how I envisioned my future life. It was never my intention to actually form an emotional attachment to a woman. My plan was to find a woman of high IQ and compatible temperament to whom I would marry and produce highly intelligent children. I postulated that Amy Farah Fowler would be suitable until she began to require more emotion in our relationship than I was comfortable with. It was never in my plan to actually fall in love with a woman.

"However, upon embarking on this relationship with you and making the proposal for our union, my marriage paradigm has changed. I now wish to be married to the woman I love."

"Right, so back to your problem and its solution?"

"Yes, the problem was, as you stated, what would our children be like? As a scientist and a human being of superior intelligence, it is my duty to gift future generations with my superior progeny. Of course, there is no guarantee that my offspring would possess my intellect – my brother and sister being examples of the same DNA manifesting itself quite differently. Still, I feel that if I take the correct precautions, I can increase the odds. So, here is my solution: I obtain donor eggs from a woman with a high IQ and fertilize them with my sperm. With the help of a laboratory and nine months gestation, we should have the child we desire."

He looked extremely pleased with himself while she stood there, slack-jawed.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" she demanded.

"I never kid. And if I do, you would know by my bazinga. Besides, why should I joke about something as important as this?"

"Um, did it ever occur to you that I might want to give birth to our child?"

"Yes, actually, I did consider that. It would be no problem to have the embryo implanted in your uterus so that you could give birth to it."

"I meant, have a baby with my own DNA?"

"Oh, well, we could have a second child that comes from your loins so to speak. I am not opposed to a multiple child family."

He still looked so smug and she just stared at him in shock.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" she asked again.

"Penny, as already established, I am not 'kidding' you and I don't see the need for profanity."

"Oh, there's a need for profanity. There's a big fucking need for all the fucking profanity I can fucking say in a fucking sentence."

"Penny!"

"Do you really expect me to accept a test tube baby from some brainiac and you to be raised alongside the dumb kid that came from me?"

"Oh, it wouldn't be dumb. It would also have my DNA."

She stared at him some more, then pulled off her engagement ring and held it out to him.

"What are you doing?" he asked, confused.

"Giving you back your ring."

"Why are you returning the ring?"

"Because I am not marrying you."

"But I don't wish to end our engagement."

"Guess what? I don't fucking care what you want!" She threw the ring at him and stormed out.

* * *

"Ames, thanks for letting me stay here tonight. I don't want to see him – not in the hallway or even know that he's right there. I'm just so pissed.'

"You have a right to your anger, however, may I just state, for the record, that should you decide to go along with Sheldon's plan, I would be more than happy to participate."

"Participate?"

"Nothing would please me more than to have an egg of mine nestled in your womb."

Penny stared at her, at first just creeped out by her words, then, as their implication set in, angered.

"Wait a sec, are you saying that I should go along with his 'plan'? That I should raise a baby from someone smarter than me? Someone smart like you?"

"No, of course not. I was only…"

"Look, I know I'm not as smart as the rest of you, that doesn't mean I'm not smart enough to have my own kid!"

"Penny, I never meant to imply…"

"Sure you didn't. You know, I should have realized this a long time ago. You all just think of me as the dumb blonde bimbo."

"You know that's not true!"

"Do I? I'm not so sure. Obviously, coming here was a mistake. I'm leaving. That is, if I can find my car without getting lost. You know how us dumb blondes are."

"Penny!" Amy cried as Penny slammed out or her apartment.

* * *

Amy immediately called Sheldon and told him that Penny had been there and that she'd left.

"I am afraid that I have made your situation worse." She told him what had been said. "I'm sorry, Sheldon, I didn't think she'd be so upset. Although, in retrospect, I can understand her anger. She perhaps feels that we don't value her as an intelligent being.'

"I never said that she was not intelligent." Sheldon said, "She is just not as smart as I am."

"That would be almost impossible, Sheldon."

"Exactly."

"But based on that and your request that she nurture the child of someone of greater intelligence, she is quite rightly feeling that you see her as unworthy in an intellectual sense."

That sentiment was echoed throughout their circle, as everyone discovered what had happened. Other responses that Sheldon received were:

"Seriously? You asked her to do that?"

"Dude, you are so screwed!"

"That is unequivocally the most boneheaded thing I have ever heard."

Sheldon was at first surprised at their reactions. "It seemed quite sensible to me. After I spoke with Dr. Rasmusson about his children, who are all of great intelligence, well, I felt…"

"Rasmusson?" Leonard asked. "You got this from him? The guy's a jerk. He cheats on his wife."

"I am aware of that. And I do not approve of that. I would never be unfaithful to Penny."

"Are you aware that he's unfaithful with graduate students that work for him? That he exchanges grades for sex?"

Sheldon paled. "Are you sure?"

"Yes. Nancy knows some women that were approached by him. And some that gave in. He shouldn't be your guide in life."

"But he isn't. I choose to marry the woman I love, but still do my duty to the world."

Raj spoke up. "Your only duty is to Penny. Are you saying that you wouldn't love the children you have together?"

"Well, of course I would love them." He stopped then and pondered his own words along with his friends'.

"I shall have to consider this." He said after a few moments.

**I guess everyone assumned this was coming. Pleae trust me, I do know where I am going with this story. And the next chapter is already done, so there won't be so long a wait. Thanks again for everyone's response!**


	43. Chapter 43

**I know that no one wants them to be broken up, but please trust me!**

Chapter 43

_When I first concocted my plan for my future progeny, I was quite proud of myself for finding a way to incorporate my desire for Penny with my wish to gift the world with a child of great intelligence. The fatal flaw in the plan was that I had not considered that Penny would not be as concerned with a gift to humanity as she would to nurture her own child. Nor that she would consider it an affront to her intelligence._

_I had never considered Penny a 'dumb blonde'. She was uneducated, true, and her mind did not grasp scientific principles, but she understood other things that I had little or no interest in. While I did not deem those things to be important, others did, so they were not entirely without value._

_My friends' reaction also gave me much food for thought. _

_Further, the fact existed that my mother and father, possessing no higher intelligence had produced me. Only the other hand, Beverly Hofstadter and her husband, both extremely intelligent, had produced Leonard._

_Apparently, genetics was not an exact science._

_And obviously, based on Penny's response to my plan and her subsequent termination of our engagement, I began to believe that I had done something that I had almost never done before. I had made a mistake._

_(from the personal journal of Sheldon Cooper, PhD)_

* * *

Having nowhere else to go, Penny returned to her apartment, but for the next few days, she avoided Sheldon completely. Knowing his schedule as well as she did, she made sure to leave her apartment whenever she knew he'd be gone. She even called in sick on Tuesday to avoid seeing him at the Cheesecake Factory.

He tried to contact her, of course. He called, texted and emailed – she didn't take his calls and deleted his texts and emails. Then she blocked him.

He knocked on her door, but she didn't open it and the only thing she said was "Go away, Sheldon."

When she was tired of hearing him knock, she opened it slightly and told him to stop trying to contact her.

"But, Penny, I want to talk to you about –"

"Don't you get it? I don't want to talk to you. It's over, we're over."

"I don't want it to be over."

"Too bad. Guess you should have considered that before you unveiled your grand plan."

"Penny…"

"Goodbye, Sheldon. Please don't try to contact me again." She closed the door and locked it. She leaned on it and knew he was still just outside. She closed her eyes tightly and tried to control it, but she couldn't. She slid down and sat on the floor and the tears fell from her eyes. She didn't sob, she didn't want him to know she was crying over him.

But a few moments later, he said quietly, "Please don't cry, Penny. If you don't want me to bother you again, I won't. But I will continue to love you nevertheless."

Damn him, she thought, how the hell did he do that? She didn't answer him, just tried to dry her eyes and waited. Eventually, he walked away and she heard his door open and close.

She thought each day would get easier, but instead it just got harder. She missed him more than she ever believed she would. But it was more than just Sheldon. She had closed off the entire group. Over the past few years, she had slowly lost touch with her other friends as Sheldon, Leonard, Howard, Raj, Amy and Bernadette had come to be more important to her. They were the best friends she'd ever had.

Or so she thought.

Now she wondered if she was just the pretty accessory, the dummy that they could all laugh at. She always knew she wasn't as smart as they were, but she thought they liked her for herself. She had apparently been wrong.

So she not only lost her fiancé, the one man she'd ever truly loved, but she'd also lost the circle of friends that had come to mean so much to her.

She never felt so lonely in her life and cried herself to sleep every night. Consequently, she did not sleep well and the bags under her eyes were the proof.

Somehow, she trudged through her days, going to class and work and making it home again, all the time avoiding Sheldon. The second Tuesday after she broke up with him, she managed to switch her day with someone else so she could avoid him again.

But on the third one, she was not able to switch it. So she was there when he, Leonard and Raj came in. She still couldn't bear to be near them, so she asked one of her coworkers, Leah, to take the table.

"But isn't that your fiancé, Penny?"

"Not anymore. So it's awkward, you know?"

"Sure, I get it. Okay, I'll take care of them."

"Look, he's going to want a barbecue cheeseburger, with everything on the side. If you make sure it's right, he won't give you any problem. Oh, and make sure the kitchen staff washes their hands and wears gloves before making his food."

Leah looked at Penny. "You're awfully concerned about how he wants his food. Are you sure you don't want to talk to him and work it out?"

"No, it can't be worked out."

Leah nodded. "Okay, if you say so."

She went to their table and introduced herself. Sheldon immediately said, "But this is Penny's table."

"I'm sorry, this is my table tonight." When she saw the distressed look on his face, she added, "Don't worry, she told me how you like your food and I can assure you I will make sure the kitchen staff takes all the safety precautions."

Sheldon turned around and saw Penny by the bar getting drinks. He stared for several minutes, waiting for her to turn around. She knew he was looking at her, she could feel it. She tried to avoid looking his way, but her head turned against her will and she met his blue eyes for a second, before lowering them. She could see the sadness there.

It made her feel bad, but she hadn't been the one to screw everything up, she had no reason to feel guilty.

When Leah finished with them and they'd gone, she went to Penny and said, "He told me to thank you for making sure I understood how he likes his food."

Penny nodded. Leah said, "Look, I know it's none of my business, but is there anything else wrong with you besides this broken engagement?"

"No, I just think that all the stress from it is affecting my health. My stomach hasn't been good and I'm not sleeping well and so I'm always tired."

Leah stared at her for a few moments. "Um, again, none of my business, but is there any chance you could be pregnant?"

Penny's eyes widened in shock. "No! No way! I am NOT pregnant, absolutely not."

"Okay, okay, you'd know if you've had your period lately." She stopped when she saw the look on Penny's face. "Have you had your period lately?"

"It's not, I mean, I don't know, I've been really upset. But there's no way I'm pregnant, I'm on the pill!"

Leah let out a laugh. "I was on the pill when I got pregnant with Jake. It's 99% effective and you can get pregnant when you're on it. The only way you can say that for sure is if you haven't had sex since your last period."

Penny's silence told her everything. "Uh-huh, thought so. You might want to pick up a pregnancy test.

* * *

It took three more days before she broke down and bought a pregnancy test. During those days, she tried to convince herself that there was no possible way she could be pregnant. (Denial, thy name is Penny!) But it slowly began to be a logical assumption.

Then she really started to panic. What would she do if she was pregnant? She could barely care for herself and with a baby she'd have to pay for food, diapers, day care. She couldn't afford any of that. Of course, Sheldon would probably pay child support, even though the child was not the super kid he wanted. But that would mean telling him about it and probably having to see him on a regular basis.

And that was something she definitely did not want to do!

Because she still loved him more than life itself.

And so she found herself about to trudge up those three flights of stairs after a long day at work, a pregnancy test in her purse. She was so frigging tired. Her stomach had been bothering her again that day - she'd eaten a little, then thrown it all up, so she was weak and dehydrated. And so bone tired she could have fallen asleep right on the steps. But still she trudged on.

It was just as she was almost at the top of the last set of stairs when the room suddenly started spinning. She reached out for the wall, but in her disoriented state, her hand missed it and she found herself toppling backwards.

She cried out the only thing she could think of as she fell, "Sheldon! Help!"

* * *

Sheldon jumped when he heard Penny's cry and ran out the door. At first he headed towards her apartment until he heard a moan from the stairs. He hurried down and his heart almost stopped when he saw her lying there. Her leg was at an odd angle and there was blood, though he wasn't sure where she was bleeding from.

He pulled out his cell phone and punched in 911. He gave the address and said, "My fiancée has fallen. I'm not sure of the extent of her injuries, but I believe her leg may be broken and there is some bleeding."

He sat down on the floor beside her and took her hand. 'It will be alright, Penny, the paramedics are coming. And I shall stay here until they do."

He knew that he shouldn't move her, but he didn't want her to be uncomfortable on the floor, so he pulled off his t-shirt , folded it as small as he could and lifted her head slightly and slid the shirt under.

Then he sat there and waited for the ambulance to come. And for the first time since he'd left Texas, he began to pray to a deity he had no belief in.

**I won't leave you hanging long. Next chapter is ready to go. **

**Everyone excited for the Halloween episode? I am!**


	44. Chapter 44

**I told you I wouldn't wait too long to post! Hope this doesn't disappoint anyone.**

Chapter 44

_I have almost no words for the fear I experienced while I waited for the paramedics to arrive to care for Penny. Although I knew it to be hokum, still, I implored my mother's God to save the life of the only woman I could ever love. I could not release her hand, illogically believing that I could somehow transfer my life energy to her._

_All science and logic seemed to flee in those minutes. _

_Once I was able to turn her over to the care of the paramedics, I knew my next priority was to see her safely transported to the hospital. And to accompany her._

_I told them that I was her fiancé. It was not precisely a lie. She had ended our engagement, but I still considered her to be my life partner. I assumed that the only way I would be permitted to accompany her and to receive updates on her condition was if they believed me to be her future husband._

_Despite my rationalization, in actuality, I knew I was lying. Honesty was one more thing that fled at that moment._

_The only thing that truly mattered was Penny. Always Penny._

_(from the personal journal of Sheldon Cooper, PhD)_

* * *

The paramedics arrived and transported Penny to the hospital. Sheldon convinced them to allow him to accompany her.

They rushed her in, leaving him outside in the waiting room. He never felt as devastated as that moment. But he tried to compose himself and called his friends.

An hour later, as he sat, hoping to hear some update on her condition, Leonard came running in, followed shortly by the others.

They all spoke at once: "What happened?" "How is she?" "Will she be okay?"

Sheldon held up a hand and explained, "My hypothesis, based on my observation, is that while climbing the stairs to her apartment, she somehow lost her balance and fell. I assume this since she called out to me to help her, but by the time I exited my apartment and found her, she was lying on the landing, unconscious, her leg at an odd angle and blood present."

He told them of calling the paramedics and waiting for them with her. He neglected to mention the praying.

"I have also told the hospital that I am her fiancé, so that I may be apprised of her condition. There is no necessity for them to know of the altered state. And as I did not end the engagement, I consider that it is continuing."

Everyone was shocked and upset and tried to ask more questions, but as Sheldon had no more answers, he remained silent, trying to will the doctor to come out and update him on Penny's condition.

After what seemed like an eternity, but in reality only about an hour, the doctor entered the waiting room, asking for Penny's fiancé.

Sheldon stood and identified himself. "I am Dr. Sheldon Cooper. Penny is my fiancée."

"Her leg is broken. We've set it and it should heal and be okay." The doctor told him. "She hit her head and has a mild concussion. We're watching her for that. The thing that concerns me, of course, is the baby."

Sheldon felt his blood run cold. "B-baby?" he stuttered.

The doctor nodded. "I was afraid you didn't know. My exam tells me it's very early on. She may not even be aware yet herself. I'm going to be totally honest with you."

"I would appreciate that." Sheldon said.

"I'm afraid the fall may have caused some internal bleeding. I'm reluctant to do an x-ray because of the pregnancy, but we may need to take the chance. We also need to face the possibility that it is no longer viable. And if the bleeding is severe enough, it could be life-threatening."

"She could die?" Leonard asked, alarmed.

"It's possible. Until we know the extent of the bleeding, we can't be sure. Excuse me, I need to get back."

He left and everyone looked at each other in shock. Sheldon moved woodenly back to his seat and lowered himself into it. He was numb, barely aware of his surroundings. But then, the voices of his friends began to penetrate his fog.

"It can't be happening to Penny!" Raj cried. "She's so alive, so vital."

"What will I do without her?" Amy asked.

"What will any of us do?" Howard asked, reaching for Bernadette's hand. "Where would we be without her?"

"We'd be four lonely, weird guys." Leonard said. "She brought us all to life."

"You can say that again." Howard agreed. "I was just this perverted guy hitting on anything with a vagina. Or that I thought had a vagina. Thanks to her, I met the only woman who could accept and love me."

He kissed his wife and she smiled at him.

"I never had a chance to have a woman before Penny." Raj said. "She found a way for me to learn to talk to them. Now I have Elise. More important, I can function in the world if there's a woman present."

"I was just a lonely scientist with no one in my life." Amy added. "Now I have a circle of friends and have had not only one, but two boyfriends! And I am best friends with the coolest girl in town."

"She went out with me." Leonard said. "Me! After that, I had the confidence to ask any woman out. If someone like Penny would go out with me, any other might."

Sheldon was silent, watching his friends as they spoke of the woman he loved.

"We can easily assume what she did for Sheldon." Amy said.

"No. You could not possibly know all that she has done for me." Sheldon said simply.

* * *

The night was long and frustrating as they waited for news. The doctor came out early to get Sheldon's authorization to perform surgery. He signed and hoped he'd done the right thing.

A nurse came out later and said that she was out of surgery, but she had no further information on her condition or her prognosis.

They continued to wait, hoping for the best, but fearing the worst.

When the doctor finally came out, he went immediately to Sheldon.

"Dr. Cooper, I'm very sorry."

Sheldon felt his heart literally stop at those words.

"I'm sorry, but she lost the baby."

"How- how is Penny?"

"Still too early to be sure. She made it through surgery, but she's still unconscious and very weak. It may still be touch and go for awhile."

"May I see her?"

"She's still in recovery, but as soon as she's in her room, I'll arrange it." He nodded and left.

While all of the others talked at once, wondering what would happen, Sheldon sat again, quietly. Amy came to sit beside him.

"Sheldon, are you okay?"

"No. But once I am with Penny and assured of her recovery, I shall be fine."

"Are you upset about the baby?"

"It is disappointing, but as I was only made aware of its existence a few hours ago, I am hardly in a position to mourn its loss."

"But does it change your ideas concerning a child with Penny?"

"Those ideas were already in transition. This has simply reinforced my new paradigm."

Amy nodded and sat quietly beside him. Once thing he'd always liked about Amy was her ability to sit with him in silence and it was never awkward or uncomfortable.

So Sheldon sat and waited until he could be with the woman he loved.

**Okay, I'm sorry she had to miscarry. I know a lot of you wanted her to have a baby, but I never intended them to become parents at this point and I needed the drama of the situation.**


	45. Chapter 45

**I hope any of my readers that were in the path of Sandy fared well. Thankfully she did no damage to my home, even though I'm just outside Philadelphia. But it did provide me with two days off from work so I was able to get this and the next chapter done. Enjoy!**

Chapter 45

_I had lived most of my life believing I was emulating Don Quixote. I had a moral code that I adhered to strictly, a routine that brought order to my life and I was on a path to a Nobel Prize that would benefit all of mankind. I considered myself a Homo Novus, a new order of human being who would set the standard for others to follow. How could I fail to be praised for all of my qualities and accomplishments?_

_But that night at the hospital, while I faced the possibility of Penny's demise and while our friends discussed her contributions to their lives, I realized that once again I had been wrong._

_For this to happen twice within a matter of weeks was astonishing on its own, but the reason for my error was even more astonishing._

_As my friends postulated all that Penny had contributed to their lives, it became quite clear to me that despite all I had attempted to do with my life to emulate Don Quixote, I had failed. It was instead Penny who had done that and without any intention. The benefits that she brought to others' lives, including my own, far outweighed mine._

_She was Don, or if you like, Donna Quixote. And it was up to me to be her Sancho Panza and support her in whatever way I could. I knew I had to step up in ways I had never done before._

_(from the personal journal of Sheldon Cooper, PhD)_

* * *

Penny knew she was awake, but her eyes were stilled closed. She spent a few moments just listening to see if she could figure out where she was. She knew it wasn't her bed or her apartment. Didn't smell or sound right. Didn't feel right.

She heard murmur of voices, but she could tell they weren't right nearby and she could hear loudspeakers, muffled, but there. Closer to her, she could hear the soft clap of computer keys. Slowly, she opened her eyes. She could tell by the room's décor, that it was a hospital. She tried to move her body a bit. Her leg wouldn't move and the rest of her felt achy. She was definitely in a hospital, but still not sure why.

She turned her head slightly, towards the sound of the computer and saw Sheldon sitting in a chair, his laptop on the movable table in front of him.

Swallowing, she tried out her voice, but even though it came out as barely a whisper, her question, "Sheldon?" got his attention.

He pushed the table aside and rose quickly to her side.

"How are you feeling?" he asked her.

"I don't know. What happened?"

"You fell down the stairs at our apartment building. You've broken your leg and suffered a concussion. You, um, also, um, had a …miscarriage." He avoided her eyes.

"Oh God. I wasn't sure if I was…I'd just bought a test…oh God."

"You should recover completely, the doctors tell me. It should not impede your ability to bear children in the future."

"You must be relieved. You don't have to deal with the inferior child I would give you." She said bitterly, tears starting to form in her eyes.

"Penny! No!" He pulled the chair close to the bed and sat so that his face would be closer to hers as he looked into her eyes. 'I made a …mistake. I should not have suggested what I did. If I do not have a child with you, I shall never have a child. I don't want any other. Please try to forgive me."

She saw the earnestness on his face, and the way his eyes were shining. She knew it was impossible for him to lie and he was making sure that he held eye contact with her so that she might believe him.

"I don't know. You really hurt me with what you said."

"I know. It was not my intention to hurt you. I thought that it was necessary to…no, it doesn't matter what I thought. My thoughts were wrong. I should never have said it, never have entertained such an idea. I love you and only you and I want no children except yours."

A tear rolled down her face. "I love you too. I just don't want to be the dummy in our group."

"You are not the 'dummy'. You never could be. You are far more intelligent than you ever believe. Scholastically, you are progressing quite well in your schooling, despite my help. But more important, your knowledge of the world and human interactions is invaluable to our group. You have changed every one of us. You are the Don Quixote that I have striven to be all of these years."

More tears fell at his words.

"Please, Penny, don't cry. If you don't wish to resume our relationship, I understand. But it is not my intention to make you unhappy."

"I'm not unhappy. I just can't believe you said that." She took his hand. "I'm not sure yet what I feel about us, but I forgive you and I will think about it."

He nodded. "Thank you."

"How long have I been here?"

"Your accident occurred two days ago. You have been unconscious since your operation and … the miscarriage."

"But I'm gonna be okay?"

He nodded. "Your prognosis is good. Once you have built up your strength and recovered from the operation, you should be able to go home. The best estimate is three to four days."

She thought about it, then her face fell. "Oh, no!"

"Why are you distressed? Are you experiencing pain or discomfort?"

"No, but I've already missed a couple of days of school. And I'll be here for a few more and I don't know when I can get back there with a broken leg! I'll probably have to repeat the entire semester. And I was doing really well and would have gotten my degree in May. This sucks! Oh, and I'll be losing my job too. Now way that bitch Jill will hold it for me until I'm not in a cast." She started to cry then.

"Please, Penny, don't cry. Everything will be resolved. Please! Stress will not help your recovery. I promise you everything will work out."

She looked at his intense blue eyes that stared at her with so much love and concern. She wanted so badly to just fall into his arms and put her trust in him. But he'd hurt her and she wasn't sure if she could trust him.

"I can't trust you to keep that promise of any promise, Sheldon. I'll just have to work something out."

She saw the distress on his face, but there was nothing she could do about it. She had her own problems to think about.

* * *

For the next few days, all of the friends came to visit Penny and told her how much they loved her and wanted her to recover. She wanted to believe them, but she was wary. She only saw Sheldon in the evening as he said he was very busy during the day and someone else was usually there with him.

She was actually relieved not to have to deal with him on her own. There was too much pain involved. She was still hurting from his earlier betrayal. Not to mention seeing him reminded her that they'd created a baby and then lost it. She was still trying to process that pain. Add to it that she still wasn't sure where she wanted their relationship to go.

He did come to see her on the evening before she was to be released.

"I wish to inform you that you will be staying with me while you recover." He told her.

"What? No, I won't. I'll stay in my own damn apartment."

"Penny, you're suffering from a broken leg. You will need help and care for some time."

"Well, then I'll stay somewhere else."

"Howard and Bernadette are in his mother's house. Somehow, I don't think sharing a house with Mrs. Wolowitz would be beneficial to your health. And I don't believe Elise would be happy if you stayed with Raj."

"What about Amy?"

"She is leaving on Sunday for a neurobiology conference in Melbourne."

"Balls."

He looked at her quizzically, then added. "I have made special considerations for your care. As I know you are not ready to contemplate a restart of our romantic relationship, I wish to assure you that I do not intend to pressure you in that regard. Leonard has already informed me that he intends to move in with Nancy. He gave me notice and was scheduled to move out on the first of next month, but we have negotiated it and he will leave immediately, although it may take a bit more time to remove all of his belongings. Therefore, you may have Leonard's room. I am having it professionally cleaned and disinfected for you."

"Leonard's moving in with Nancy? That's so great."

"Did you hear anything past that?"

"Yeah, I heard it all. Okay, if I have to I guess I'll stay with you until my leg heals. Considering I've probably been fired, it's probably best since I won't be able to pay the electric bill. And even the rent, oh my God!"

"Please, Penny, do not distress yourself. Even though you don't trust my promises, you will find that I do keep them. Everything will work out."

"Sure, Sheldon, whatever you say."

"You are to be released at eleven o'clock. I will be here at ten forty-five."

At night, when she was alone and trying to sleep, she thought about the child that could have been. Even if Sheldon didn't think it would be worthy, she would have loved it. She knew she wasn't ready to be a mother, but still she mourned the lost opportunity.

* * *

**I try to respond to all of my readers who comment. If you are not signed in or have disabled private messaging, I obviously can't, but I still want you to know that I do appreciate your comments. And thanks also to those who have just discovered the story and have caught up on all the chapters at once. I really appreciate it!**


	46. Chapter 46

**Hope everyone enjoys this one!**

Chapter 46

_Penny doubted my ability to take care of her needs. I knew that I had to go to extreme measures to prove to her that I was a man who could take care of her. I had to be more than simply her Sancho Panza. I had to be a knight serving my lady._

_I made a decision to go above and beyond all normal means to show her that she could depend on me. It took me far outside of my comfort zone, but the end result was well worth the pain I had to endure. For the end result could mean that I would once again have Penny in my life._

_(from the personal journal of Sheldon Cooper, PhD)_

* * *

The next day, Sheldon arrived promptly at ten forty-five, as promised. The nurse had helped her to dress and the doctor had signed her release form, so she was ready to go. They brought a wheel chair, which she would be using at home as well, since her leg was broken high up and she was still weak from surgery. The nurse wheeled her out, with Sheldon walking alongside.

As they went, Penny looked up at him. "Who came with you?"

"No one. I am alone."

"Wait, how are you going to get me home? A taxi?"

"Penny, it is my job to worry about the logistics. Your job is to sit there and conserve your strength."

When they got to the entrance, Sheldon asked the nurse to wait there with Penny. He rushed off and Penny assumed he was going to get the taxi. She almost fell out of the wheelchair when she saw a brand new bright yellow Hyundai Genesis coupe pull up to the door and Sheldon get out of the driver's seat.

"Sheldon! You can't drive a car by yourself! You need a licensed driver with you. And where did you get that car?"

He gave her one of his withering looks. "Penny, I am very well aware of the motor vehicle rules of the state of California. I obtained my driver's license several days ago. And this car is mine. I purchased it after I passed my driver's test."

Her mouth hung open for a few moments before she said, "You got your license? And you bought a car?"

"Why do you feel it necessary to repeat what I just stated?" he asked her as he helped her into the car and stowed the wheelchair in the trunk.

As they headed to their apartment building, she started asking him about the driving.

"As I realized you would be unable to drive for several weeks, I knew that it was my duty to step up, be a man and take on that responsibility."

She stared at him for a while before saying, "Thank you, Sheldon."

"You're welcome."

He pulled into the parking lot and Penny looked around, but didn't see her car.

"My car! It's not here! Oh my God, someone stole my car!"

"Your car has not been stolen. It is in the hands of an automobile mechanic who will finally resolve the 'check engine light' issue."

"Sheldon, you took my car to a mechanic? I can't afford to get it fixed!"

"I don't recall asking you for money."

"But…"

'I know that you prefer to 'pay your way', but this is a different issue. You may no longer consider me your fiancé, but I consider you mine. And as you are precious to me, I cannot have you driving a vehicle that at the least may break down in an undesirable neighborhood and at worst might explode."

She was stunned and touched by his words and watched him as he removed the wheelchair and helped her out of the car and into it. As he began to push her towards the building, another thought hit her.

"Sheldon, the stairs! How will you get me up the stairs with the wheelchair?"

"Penny, once again, you must learn to trust me."

"Unless you can magically move me up the stairs…" she broke off when they entered the lobby and she saw the lack of yellow caution tape across the elevator doors. Then she saw the doors open and people come out.

"It's not magic," Sheldon told her. "It's a working elevator."

"When…how did you fix the elevator?"

"I did not fix the elevator. Building maintenance did that. I did, however, inform building management that you had injured yourself while ascending the staircase and since their inoperable elevator was contributory, it might be actionable."

"What?"

"We could sue them."

"Oh!"

"I also stated that as you were now incapacitated for the next several weeks; their building might also be in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act since they could not provide a means for you to reach your home."

"Wow, Sheldon, that's amazing!"

Sheldon held his expression in check even though he wanted to smile at her praise.

* * *

Penny spent the next few days mostly sleeping. She'd been prescribed pain medication and Sheldon doled them out to her in the proper dosage – enough to ease her discomfort, but not too much as to cause a lasting dependence. But what she took was enough to keep her sleepy, which was a good thing as it allowed her to heal and not to think too much about how screwed up her life now was.

During the time that she was awake, Sheldon brought her food that he'd cooked to her liking. The television was also set up so that she could watch 'Jersey Shore' or whatever other nonsense (his words) that she wished as she dozed off to sleep.

She was grateful for his help and impressed by his initiative, but she was still wary of resuming their relationship.

When the morning arrived that she didn't need the medication, she asked Sheldon if she could leave the bedroom.

He considered her request, then said, "Very well."

He helped her attend to her personal needs and then put her in the wheelchair to bring her to the living room. He served her breakfast and waited until she was finished, then stood and said, "Are you feeling well enough to do your schoolwork?"

"I'm feeling okay, but what's the point? I'm missing so much school that I'll have to take the whole semester over. May as well just relax and forget about it."

"Actually, you will not have to repeat the semester. You will be returning to class next week. And in the meantime, I shall be instructing you on the lessons you have missed."

"You're what? What the hell are you talking about?"

"I have contacted your teachers and obtained the work that was taught while you've been out and I shall be instructing you. When you return, your teachers will quiz you on it and if you pass sufficiently, you will be permitted to continue with the semester uninterrupted."

"Why the hell would they do that?"

"They have been instructed to do so by the dean of the college."

"And why would the dean do that for me?"

Sheldon hesitated and looked away before saying, "Because I promised to teach an Introduction to Physics class next semester."

She stared at him. "You are going to teach a class at a community college? The great Doctor Sheldon Cooper? The one with the gazillion IQ?"

"I don't believe I need to repeat myself, Penny. And that is an inaccurate and non-existent number. My IQ is 187. Now if you will—"

"You hate community college. Why the hell would you do that?"

His blue eyes glistened as he said, "For you."

* * *

Over the next few days, they worked on her schoolwork, until Sheldon felt she was sufficiently prepared to return to school. On the day before she was to return (in a wheelchair) to class, he asked her, "Would you like to get out of the apartment?"

"Oh, man, would I ever! Where are we going?"

"The Cheesecake Factory."

**Before we find out why he's taking her to the Cheesecake Factory, we're going to find out how Sheldon accomplished all that he did. That will come in the next chapter.**

**Just finished watching the new episode. No spoilers, but I thought it was fun. And loved Sheldon's reaction to Penny at the end!**


	47. Chapter 47

**My head is hanging in shame. There are no words to express my sorrow in taking so long to update this story. You don't want excuses and there are none! But you will be happy to know that I've all but finished this and we are almost at the end, so there won't be the same delay for the rest of the story. Please forgive me and enjoy this chapter. Personal thoughts at the end.**

Chapter 47

_When I realized that Penny was desolate about her school and work situations due to being hospitalized, I knew that I had to help her._

_I stood at my whiteboard and made a schematic of what needed to be done to accomplish all that was necessary. Once the schematic was completed, I contacted Amy. Next to Penny, she was truly my closest friend and the one most attuned to the workings of my mind. She was the one who could help me with my plan._

_I went over it with her. She agreed with everything and offered suggestions to improve some items and also her support in the plan._

_(from the personal journal of Sheldon Cooper, PhD)_

* * *

Sheldon spent the next day at the simulation that Howard had designed to learn to drive. It took longer than he intended, but his determination overruled his frustration and he finally mastered it.

The following day, Amy took him to the Motor Vehicle Bureau and he took a driving test. The man administering the test was frazzled by the time the test was over. Not by bad driving, but by Sheldon's preciseness in everything. He was happy to pass him and get out of the car.

Driver's license in hand, he proceeded to a car dealer. He had researched the vehicles on line. He read consumer reports and trade evaluations and found a make and model that seemed reliable and was reasonably priced. Additionally, it was hot. He knew that Penny would appreciate that.

He had decided on a Hyundai Genesis sport coupe, which came in yellow, a color Sheldon liked.

He also did some research on the current price of the vehicle and some strategies for getting the best deal. He located a dealership that had that car and color in stock and asked Amy to drive him there.

When he walked in, he stopped and observed all of the sales personnel. Then he spotted the one he wanted and went directly to him, bypassing the more aggressive ones that tried to waylay him.

"Good day," he said, "I am Dr. Sheldon Cooper and I wish to purchase a yellow Hyundai Genesis sport coupe. My research has told me that you have that vehicle in stock."

"Uh, hello, Dr. Cooper," the salesman said, "My name is Ralph. I'll be happy to help you. I believe we do have a yellow Genesis in stock."

"Very well, please show me the car."

Ralph took him to it and Sheldon sat in the driver's seat. Ralph accompanied him on a test drive. Sheldon was still unsure of what made a car ride well. He could only base his decision on the reports he'd read. It seemed to ride fine to him and he decided it was worth purchasing.

"This will do." He told Ralph. "Let us complete this transaction."

They went to the salesman's desk, but just as Ralph began talking, Sheldon interrupted him.

"As my time is extremely valuable, I do not wish to waste any of it, nor excess energy on this." He handed him an index card. "This is the price I wish to pay for this vehicle and also the interest rate I wish to be assessed on the automobile loan. I have researched the value of the car and the dealer's cost, as well as the comparable market in the area. This price is enough above your cost for your employer to make a profit and for you to make a fair commission on the sale, yet it is also a sensible price for the vehicle.

"I know that you will attempt to speak with your manager several times before you will finally allow me the figures I desire. As I stated, I do not wish to waste my time in that way. We are almost at the end of the month and you are the sales person with the least number of sales in the dealership. So it would be beneficial for both of us to simply allow me the price I wish.

"Also, you must be aware that there are more car dealerships in the Greater Pasadena area and, although it would be time consuming, if you cannot meet my price, I have no qualms about moving to the next one where I am sure there is also a salesperson who is desperate to make a sale this month."

Ralph looked at him strangely, then asked, "Why do you think I need this sale so badly?"

"Your tie is loose and your shirt is wrinkled, unlike the other sales associates who are crisply dressed. You are unsure of your place here. You have no accommodations on your desk for exemplary sales or salesmanship. In fact, your desk is much too neat for a person who works in sales, indicating that you have not had many sales. Also, your desk is in the back of the showroom, far behind the others. You are either the person who has been here the longest and are weary and ready to retire or the person who has been here the least time and are inexperienced and unsure."

Ralph sighed, "It's the latter. I was in banking, selling loans, but my bank was closed. I had to find something to pay the mortgage."

Sheldon nodded. "Indeed. Then we have a deal?"

"I have to talk to the manager. It's protocol, you understand?"

"Of course. But be sure to let him know that my figures are firm and I will go elsewhere should you not be able to accommodate me."

Ralph agreed, "Sounds reasonable to me. Wish all the customers were this logical. I'll be right back."

As Sheldon watched, Ralph went to a large glass-walled office and spoke with the manager, gesturing toward Sheldon as he did. The manager argued some, then glanced at Sheldon. At last the man nodded and Ralph left the office.

He returned to his desk and said, "Congratulations, Dr. Cooper, you are about to be the owner of a brand new Hyundai Genesis."

They completed the paperwork and within the hour, Sheldon was driving away in his brand new car.

The elevator was another problem he had to tackle. Since he was accustomed to reporting problems in his apartment, he was familiar with the workings of the 2311 Los Robles Corporation.

The office staff was also well acquainted with him. When Dr. Cooper called, they knew they'd better respond or he would annoy them endlessly.

So when he called, the receptionist, not wanting to deal with him herself, immediately put him through to the building manager.

"What can I do for you, Dr. Cooper?" Even though Sheldon could be annoying, he was a longtime tenant who always paid his rent precisely on time and kept his apartment immaculate. He was also highly observant and quick to report potential problems in the building before they became major ones.

"As you are well aware, the elevator in our building has been non-operational for some time."

"Yes, I know."

"What you most likely are not aware of is that your tenant in 4B fell down the stairs while trying to reach her apartment. She was pregnant and tired from a long day at work. The fall caused her to miscarry her child and to break her leg, as well as additional cuts and bruises." Sheldon tried very hard to keep his voice steady so as not to reveal to the man that it was his child that was lost.

"I'm sorry to hear that, but it isn't our fault that she fell."

"I do wonder if legal counsel would feel the same. Additionally, she will be unable to use the stairs for several weeks. With no elevator, she is being denied access to her home. I believe this may be in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act."

The manager knew that you never wanted to involve lawyers or advocates for the handicapped. "How can we avoid getting lawyers involved in this?"

"Fix the elevator."

The man sighed. "Someone will be there tomorrow to work on it."

"Thank you. And goodbye." Sheldon hung up.

Dealing with the community college was the easiest, but the most painful for him. After parking in a visitor's lot, he immediately went to the dean's office. When the secretary told the dean that Doctor Sheldon Cooper was there, he was escorted directly into the man's office.

"Dr. Cooper, I am a big fan. I've wanted to meet you for a long time." Dean Reynolds held out his hand.

Sheldon's face twitched as he shook the hand. "I have request for you."

"I would be happy to help you, Dr. Cooper."

"My friend is a student here. She is in your Fashion Merchandising program. Unfortunately, she has been the victim of an accident and has been in the hospital for the last week. She will be further incapacitated for another week or ten days. That of course, means that she has missed and will continue to miss classes."

"That is unfortunate."

"I would like to obtain the lessons from her teachers so that she might make up her work while she is out."

"I don't know about that. Teachers don't usually do that. They need to teach her themselves."

"I plan on personally tutoring her on whatever lessons she has missed."

"No offense, Dr. Cooper, I know you are a brilliant physicist, but you can't possibly know anything about Fashion Merchandising."

"No, but I have an eidetic memory. If I read about it and if I read the teachers lessons, I will be able to impart the information to my friend."

Dean Reynolds was silent, considering this request and how it could work to both their benefits. "This is a lot to ask of the teachers. It's extra work to write out their lessons, etc."

"I realize that."

"Then you must understand that if I need to compel them to do this, I must receive something in return that would compensate the school for the inconvenience to the teachers."

Sheldon was silent. He'd hoped he could get this without giving anything, but logically he knew it would come to this. "What do you propose?"

"Would you consider teaching an Introduction to Physics class next semester?"

Sheldon shuddered slightly at the thought of his intellect teaching students at a community college. How could he possibly do that? Then he thought of Penny's face, so sad at the thought of everything she was losing on top of losing their child.

"Very well." He said finally.

A broad smile spread across the dean's face. "Excellent! I can't tell you how many students that will attract. The great Dr. Sheldon Cooper teaching a Physics class here!"

Sheldon shuddered again at that thought, but tried to compose himself. "So I may have the lessons for my friend?"

"Yes, of course. You can tell my secretary your friend's name and she will contact the teachers and arrange everything. You can also give her your contact information so that we can get you set up for the class."

Sheldon nodded, even though he wanted to shudder. He kept reminding himself that it was for Penny.

There was one more thing that he had to do and he actually began that process before the driving test, since he knew that would take some time. He called daily to assess the progress of the enterprise and finally he was happy with the results.

So much so that when Penny asked where they would be going, he told her, "The Cheesecake Factory."

**Personal note: In a lot of the Shenny stories I've been reading, there have been some notes about the other ships being unpleasant to them. So far, that has not happened to me. Perhaps, they just haven't read my little story. Anyway, as far as the actual show goes, I am still watching it. I don't expect it to be Shenny, so I am not disappointed. And as it is a comedy, I don't expect them to keep the characters as originally written. They change them at will in dramas where they are supposed to be more concerned with that_.(*cough*_ House_ *cough*_) What can we expect from a comedy? I'm sorry if it's disappointing some of you and I certainly understand your feelings. But I just got an idea for a new Shenny story from this past week's episode (The Spoiler Alert Segmentation), so it's not all bad. Anyway, as promised you will get the rest of this story fairly soon. Thank you so much for your patience!**


	48. Chapter 48

Chapter 48

_I was being coerced into teaching at a community college! The mere thought of it made me shudder. Several times I considered contacting Dean Reynolds and telling him I had reconsidered. But then I would see Penny's sad eyes in my mind and I knew I would do anything to make her happy. Even be a teacher to those who could do no better than attend community college. My only hope was that within the baboons that would make up my class might be one person with enough of a brain to understand me._

_What we do for those we love._

_I had come to understand this concept. When you love someone, as I love Penny, you will go far beyond the norm to please them. There was no guarantee that Penny would wish to resume our engagement, but that was not my only intention. I wished that she be content, be it with me or without me. My hope was that she would choose her contentment with me._

_(from the personal journal of Sheldon Cooper, PhD)_

* * *

"The Cheesecake Factory? Why the hell would I want to go there? To have my former bitch manager rub it into my face that I no longer work there?"

Sheldon let out a sigh. "Penny, have I not asked you to trust me this past week?"

"You have."

"And has your trust been rewarded?"

"Yeah, I guess it has."

"Then I ask that you continue to trust me. We are having an early lunch at the Cheesecake Factory."

She considered this. So far, he'd gotten his license, bought a car and managed to keep her in school. If he wanted to take her to the restaurant, she should probably trust him. Hell, he'd probably bought the whole frigging place! Which then made her wonder how much money Sheldon actually had.

"Okay, sweetie, the Cheesecake Factory it is."

She wondered why they were going there so early. Lunch service usually began around eleven, but they were arriving at ten thirty. She decided not to ask him, as it would be better to let him lead the way, since he seemed to know exactly what he was doing.

When they arrived, they were greeted by her friend Leah.

"Everything is ready, Dr. Cooper."

He nodded. "Thank you, Leah."

"What's ready?" Penny asked. "What's going on?"

The look he gave her told her to keep her mouth shut. He brought her to his regular table, which was already occupied by their other friends, then moved away to confer with Leah privately.

"Do you guys know what's going on?" Penny asked them.

"No." Leonard said. "Sheldon just told us all to meet you here. He wouldn't say anything else."

Sheldon rejoined the group and sat down beside Penny.

"Sheldon…" she began, but he interrupted her.

"Please, Penny, refrain from speaking at the moment. All of your questions will be answered shortly."

She sat back and waited. A few moments later, they all heard loud voices coming from the manager's office. Jill came storming out of the office, purse in hand, and a murderous look on her face. She glared at the wait staff as she passed them on her way out of the restaurant.

They all looked confused and stared at each other. "What the hell was that?" Penny asked. Sheldon was silent, but the look on his face was triumphant.

Then three men also exited the office and spoke to Leah. She pointed to Sheldon, who rose when he saw her action. The men approached the table and the oldest one said, "Are you Dr. Cooper?"

"Yes, I am."

"I'm Robert Woodson, the regional manager for the Cheesecake Factory. We spoke on the phone."

Sheldon inclined his head. "Yes, I know."

"This is Mr. Holliman and Mr. Trout. They are part of our internal audit department. It was just as you suspected, Dr. Cooper. Jill Alcott was cheating the company. She overstated the number of staff members, creating dummy employees and pocketing the money. She was immediately fired and charges are being brought up against her."

There was an audible sound of surprise from the staff, then someone cheered the others joined in.

Woodson chuckled. "I take it she was not very popular."

"She was a bitch." Penny said.

"Well, she's gone now. We need to find a new manager and will try to promote from within. In the interim," he turned to Leah. "Mrs. Parker, would you like to take the position? You would, of course, be able to apply for the permanent position. And you will be compensated for filling in as well."

"Yes, of course! Thank you!" Leah said happily.

Woodson nodded. "We need to return to the office to get this all straightened out, but I'll contact you later today." He turned back to Sheldon, "Thank you again, Dr. Cooper. The Cheesecake Factory does not treat employees the way Ms Alcott did and I'm very happy you let us know of your suspicions."

"You're welcome."

The three men left and the wait staff cheered again and started jumping up and down, celebrating.

Leah, full of emotion, said to Penny and Sheldon, "I can't believe it! I might be the manager! I can really use that promotion. Dr. Cooper, dinner is on us anytime you come in here. Right guys?" she turned to the rest of the staff.

They all agreed.

"I'm going to get you guys some food and drinks. I'll be right back."

The others all stared at Sheldon. He seemed unconcerned as he sipped some water and arranged his napkin on his lap.

"Sheldon, what did you do?" Howard asked.

"I simply contacted the regional office for the Cheesecake Factory and informed them that there were some dubious practices in effect at this location and they might be wise to engage their forensic accountants to investigate. Leah assisted me by providing some specific information. It took them several days to investigate, however, today is the result."

They continued to stare at him. Penny said, "It will be great for Leah if she gets the manager position. Her husband left her last year and she has three kids to raise on her own.

"I know. I spoke with her and I told Mr. Woodson that she would be an ideal candidate. That is why he gave her the interim position and will consider her for the permanent one."

Penny felt tears beginning to pool in her eyes. She could not believe this man. With her voice cracking, she said, "Sheldon, do you have my ring?"

"What?" he asked, confused.

"My engagement ring. Where is it?"

He reached into the pocket of his trousers and pulled it out. "It's right here."

"Can you please put it on me?"

"You want it back?" He asked in a whisper.

"Yes. Ask me again."

"Penny, I proposed to you twice already."

"I know. Once more please and I promise this will be the very last time."

He swallowed. "Penny, will you marry me?"

"Yes, Sheldon Cooper, I will most certainly marry you!" She didn't stop the tears from falling as he slipped the ring onto her finger and then she put her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly while their friends cheered.

**A/N: One more chapter after this and I'm having a hard time gettng it wrapped up, but I promise to finish it and get it posted as soon as I can. And I am beginning to work on some other stories, but this is a weird world for me. In the past, I always wrote O/C stories, so each time I started a new story, the heroine was different and essentially the romance was different. This is the first time I'm shipping a couple where both are on the show. I do have a Sheldon/OC story that I want to do, so I may do that one next and do Shenny after, so that I can put a little distance between the two. Anyway, thanks for reading and putting up with all of my delays. I promise to finish writing the next story before I begin posting!**


	49. Chapter 49

Chapter 49

_I have experienced joy in my life. Earning my first PhD, viewing Star Wars for the first time, obtaining a rare comic book, etc. With my eidetic memory, the important, special and joyous moments are imbedded in my thoughts. _

_However, there is not a single moment in my memory to that point that contained as much joy as the moment when Penny accepted my proposal for the third and (I hoped) last time._

_(from the personal journal of Sheldon Cooper, PhD)_

* * *

They returned home in virtual silence. Sheldon was in shock and euphoria that Penny had finally agreed to renew their engagement and was also trying to concentrate on his driving which was still relatively new to him. Penny was also in shock that her fiancé was able to pull all of that off in a few days.

Finally, she spoke. "How did you know that Jill was stealing from the company?"

"I was not sure that was the case. Still, I surmised that there was a reason for her behavior beyond the desire to simply be perverse. I merely reported the facts of her actions to the corporate office and allowed them to do their job."

"Sheldon, you are amazing."

He glanced at her briefly, before returning his eyes to the road. "Of course. Were you not aware of that previously?"

She shook her head and laughed. Coming from someone else that would have been an extremely vain statement. But Sheldon only spoke the truth as he perceived it and it really was the truth. She knew that this would be a part of her life from now on and if she didn't want to lose her head completely, she would have to take those sorts of statements with a grain of salt.

She then did what she would continue to do for the rest of her life. She leaned over and kissed his cheek and said, "Yes, sweetie."

As she healed from her injuries, they discussed their wedding plans and decided on a small wedding with just their friends present. Sheldon wondered why she didn't want a big, splashy affair.

She looked at him thoughtfully and said, "After all that we've been through, it just doesn't seem right. And all I really want is for us to be married. Both our families will want to have parties for us and that's fine. But the actual event should just be you and me and the people that mean the most to us."

It was unspoken between them that they were both still mourning the child that left them before they even had a chance to know it.

They planned the wedding for early June, just after she would obtain her associate's degree. She selected a simple, a-line ivory dress, tea length.

Sheldon, of course, had something to say about that: "Isn't a white bride's dress supposed to signify purity?"

She narrowed her eyes at him and said, "It's just a tradition, Sheldon, it no longer signifies anything. And if I hear anything else from you on why I shouldn't be wearing white, you're not gonna be happy!"

Once she was ready, she returned to her classes. Her teachers were amazed to find that she had not only kept up, but had actually surpassed the class.

That's what happens, she thought, when you have a frigging genius to tutor you.

She ended up graduating at the top of her class. Which was particularly helpful when she applied for a job as a buyer at an upscale boutique in Los Angeles. Sheldon insisted on buying her a new car since her job would involve a lot of driving between the store's five locations.

Their wedding was small, but very poignant, with just Leonard and Amy as their attendants, and the rest of the group in attendance. Sheldon had promised his mother that they would be married in a church, even though that wasn't his belief. He complained about it, until Penny found a non-denominational (and non-judgmental) minister who agreed to marry them. She also found a lovely little chapel located in a wooded setting. It was beautiful and special.

Right after the wedding, they traveled to Nebraska to celebrate with her family.

Her mother clucked over Sheldon and told him how lucky Penny was to have found him, but Sheldon's answer only made Penny love him more:

"No, you are mistaken. Although I don't believe in luck, I do find myself the one on whom fortune has smiled because Penny fell in love with me and agreed to spend her life with me."

Her parents didn't understand half of what Sheldon said, but they saw the love in his eyes for their daughter and how happy Penny was and that was all that really mattered.

After Nebraska, they went to Texas to celebrate with his family. It was almost like having three weddings.

The Cooper family was exuberant. Mary was greatly recovered, with only the slightest hesitation in speech and the occasional twinge in her legs as a reminder of her accident. George had a steady job and was supporting his family. Missy and her boyfriend were almost engaged themselves. Meemaw was just relieved that Sheldon had found a woman to love and take care of him. She knew how much her Moonpie needed love.

Once they returned to Pasadena, Penny began her new job. She loved it and proved that she was good at it. After working for the boutique for four years, she was offered a managerial position. And that was after she'd taken a six month maternity leave when their son, Isaac Newton Cooper was born.

Howard and Bernadette bought a house with a side apartment attached to it for Mrs. Wolowitz. Keeping to his word, when their son was born, Bernadette returned to work when her maternity leave was over and Howard took an indefinite leave of absence to care for him. He turned out to be better at it than anyone had anticipated. Having grown up with a father himself, he was determined to make his son's childhood a great one.

About a year after Sheldon and Penny's wedding, Leonard married Nancy. They ended up leaving Pasadena when she was offered a year- long fellowship in London. Leonard was happy to accompany her and when it ended, they both accepted positions at Princeton University, which put them in near proximity to his family, but they managed to survive it. They kept in contact with their friends in California and made it out each year to Comic-Con.

Amy married Edwin as well and they continued to live in Pasadena and their daughter grew up as a close friend to Isaac Cooper and Michael Wolowitz.

Raj didn't marry his first girlfriend, but his ability to now talk to women allowed him the capacity to meet others. He eventually met a very American woman whose parents had been born in India. That didn't matter to Dr. and Mrs. Koothrapoli. They would have been happy at that point for him to marry anyone. That her parents were Indian was icing on the cake.

* * *

(from the personal journal of Penny Cooper, buyer, wife and mother)

When Sheldon finds out I wrote in his journal, he's gonna freak. But I know he only writes in this one so that his biographer will have all the information about him that's needed, so I'm not worried about him finding out anytime soon. It's not like he has to go back and read it. With his eidetic memory, he remembers every word he wrote here.

Anyway, I think it's important that future generations know that Sheldon Cooper is annoying, infuriating and more able to make a woman tear her hair out than anyone on this earth. He's also the sweetest and cutest guy ever. I love him and always will.

He's also an amazing father. The way he talks to his son and, of course, the kid understands every word, is just crazy. Of course, I don't understand a word that their saying, but the cool thing about Sheldon is that he won't let Isaac talk down to me. The love that he shows to both of us defines him as a man.

He once told me that he wanted to be Don Quixote. He's more than that. He's my knight in shining armor, sure, but he's also my support when I need him, my pillow when I'm tired and my lover all the time.

If there were more Sheldon Coopers in the world, it would be a better place – as long as people didn't murder them first. I'm glad that I took the time to know him and love him. He's the best thing that ever happened to me!

* * *

_Penny thinks that I do not read this journal once I've written, but I do and of course I saw what she wrote. I will leave it as written, so that someday my biographer will have better knowledge of my wife._

_I wanted to be Don Quixote and love pure and chaste from afar. I failed in that ambition, but I do not regret it. Loving Penny has defined me and made me so much more than I was. And in truth, was that not Don Quixote's true goal: to be more than a mere man could be? I have done that, thanks to Penny._

_(from the personal journal of Sheldon Cooper , PhD)_

**Well, that's all folks! Thank you all so much for reading this and for your wonderful reviews. I'm sorry you had to wait so long for the conclusion. But I determined that I had to finish this before I really got into my next story. But I have started it. If you're interested to read it, you can put me on author alert or just look for it. The working title is The Philadelphia Experiment. Talk to you all later!**


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